I Love You?
by Karen6
Summary: What if Brenda really did love Jason? She won’t sign the annulment paper, but for a different reason then everyone might think. And what do Courtney and Sonny think about this? ( when Jason and Brenda are in the Dominican Republic.) COMPLETED
1. Three Simple Words

 I Love You          Prologue: Three Simple Words  

"I can't," Brenda repeated again, feeling the shock of her own words as the realization of them washed over her own body. She tucked a piece of her dark, straightened hair behind her ear.

She looked at the ballpoint pen in her trembling hand and then at the annulment papers that were sitting in front of her, just waiting to be signed and waiting to end her marriage.

Jason was taken aback. He stared at Brenda blankly, his bright blue eyes bulging slightly.

"What?" Jason asked, still seeming to be comprehending the fresh words that had come out of Brenda's mouth.

"I can't sign these papers," Brenda stated again simply, eyes glued to the paper. Jason let out a slight wheeze after hearing the words.

"Why the hell not?" he said through gritted teeth, trying to keep from yelling, but his voice squeaked an octave higher then normal.

Brenda looked up at the man sitting across the table from her, and then she looked over to her right at Jason, her husband. Realization flowed over her, coursed through her veins and flowed from her head to her feet. 

"I can't divorce you," Brenda said, her breathing and heartbeat quickening out of nervousness.

Jason let out a sharp groan and ran his hand over his face and through his hair.

"Brenda," he mumbled, a slightly fierce look upon is face. "Just sign the damn papers."

Brenda did not reply; she only sat the pen down and walked away from the table. 

Jason stared at where she had once been sitting, speechless once again. Brenda began to slowly walk away from the both of them. Words finally came to Jason.

"Where do you think you are going?" he yelled after her. 

Brenda walked outside. As she slowly made her way, thoughts raced through her head. 

 WHAT ARE YOU DOING? You love Jax, not Jason! You want to be married to Jax! There is no reason at all to stay married to Jason! 

The thoughts slowly grew fainter and fainter as Brenda chose to ignore them. She raised her head up to the sky, raindrops falling upon her face and dripping off. She closed her eyes.

This was life. This was her life.

_I'd give up forever to touch you._

'_Cause I know that you feel the same way._

_You're the closest to Heaven that I'll ever need,_ __

_And I don't want to go home right now._ __

_All I can taste is this moment, _

_And all I can breathe is your name._ __

_And sooner or later,_

_It's over._

_I just don't want to miss you again._ __

_I don't want to world to see me._

_Because I don't think it made any sense._

_When everything just meant to be broken,_

_I just want you to know who I am. _

**A/N** This was short, but all prologues are short. The next chapter will be up soon, and it will be longer. Now PLEASE review! Hope you enjoyed! Good reviews urge me to write faster!


	2. A Phone Call

Chapter 1: A Phone Call 

Brenda noiselessly stood outside in the torrential rain. 

How long had she been out here? An hour? The entire night? Only a few minutes? Brenda's shivering, numb body moved down the dirt brown path until she found a cold, cement bench to sit on.    

She rubbed her frozen hands together to create some warmth. She expected Jason to come find her and demand for an explanation a while back, but he hadn't- still hadn't. She knew Jason was alone inside now; the other man had left. What was he doing? Screaming at himself, freaking out even more? 

A shaky breath escaped Brenda's moist, cracked lips. 

"God…" she mumbled, wiping off the rain drops that had fallen onto her face off. " Oh, God."

She stayed like this for a while: all alone, except for the thoughts that ran over and over through her head. 

Someone behind her cleared their throat, making Brenda jump.

"We'll be going back to Port Charles late tonight," Jason mumbled to her, his hands jammed into the pockets of his jacket. One of the hands came out, and he began to rub his chin. Brenda twisted her engagement ring to Jax nervously.

"Okay," she murmured back. 

For a moment, they each stayed where they were quietly, but Jason turned back around to go inside. Brenda watched him leave, but after a few paces he stopped. She turned away from him instantly, not wanting to meet a gaze from him.

"What the hell happened in there?" Jason said, anger flushing through him. "You know, I'm trying not to get mad and attack you right now, but, Brenda, why couldn't you have just signed the damn papers?"

Brenda lifted her head up, meeting an infuriated Jason. She opened her mouth to reply, but she realized that she had no clue what she was going to say. So, instead, Jason continued,

"For the entire time we were married, all you could think of was Jax and being with him. So, I thought that it would be a good idea to get the annulment now instead of later, but we get in there, and you won't just sign the papers to end the thing that you hate with so much passion, our marriage." He paused. 

"Aren't you going to say anything?"

Brenda looked up at Jason, who was waiting to hear some sort of explanation on her behalf. Words rushed to her head, but none of them seemed right for the situation. 

"Don't you think I want to?" Brenda finally came up with, her voice higher than usual and cracking the entire time she spoke. "Don't you think I would have _killed_ just to sign those papers?"

"Then why didn't you?"

Brenda let out a small cry of defeat, "I don't know!" she cried. "I just do not know!"

****

Courtney walked into her apartment and pulled off her cold, snow flaked coat. Once her coat was hung up, she went to check her messages. There, she found a piece of folded paper with her name on the front. She stared it for a while, twisting a strand of her blonde hair and wondering who it was. She unfolded the paper after a minute or two and read:

_Courtney,_

_Went to get annulment. Be back sometime soon._

_Jason_

Courtney ran her hand over Jason's writing. After a moment, she picked up her phone and dialed Jason's cell phone number.

_Ring._

_Ring._

"Yeah?" the voice spoke.

"Hey, Jason."

****

"Okay," Jason reviewed, "You don't know why you couldn't sign the papers? Don't you love Jax?"

His hands found their way back into his jacket pocket. 

"Of course I love him," Brenda answered quickly. " And I want to marry him."

"Then why couldn't you just sign the papers?"

Before Brenda could answer, there was a loud ring. Jason retrieved his cell phone from his pocket and spoke,

"Yeah?"

"Hey, Jason," Courtney's voice said from the other line. 

"Courtney? Why are you calling?" Jason asked, wondering what Courtney could be wanting. 

"No real reason. I just wanted to talk to you, that's all. Is that a crime?" Courtney replied, giving a short, soft laugh.

For a moment, neither Courtney nor Jason said a word. They just listened to the other line, an awkward silence in which neither knew what to say. Courtney was the one who decided to break the ice,

"So, have you gotten the annulment yet?" 

**A/N** Yeah, I know I messed up on Jax name. Thanks for all the reviews of the last chapter, and I hope this chapter was to everyone's satisfaction. This is my first fic, so feel free to critic. They might have been out of character, but oh well. I know it was short too. I will try to make the next one longer. Please review.


	3. Could this be the Truth?

**Chapter 2: Could this be the Truth?**

Brenda's head lifted. Even though she was nowhere near Jason or his cell phone, she heard Courtney's question perfectly clear.

"So, have you gotten the annulment yet?" 

What would he tell her? That she refused to sign the papers?

Courtney probably was only joking about the question, but Jason's face grew sterner and more solemn than usual. Jason cleared his throat uncomfortably and answered slowly,

"The annulment is… fine."  

There was a laugh from the other line from Courtney.

Brenda studied Jason's face, but he turned away from her and continued his conversation with Courtney, inaudible. After a minute, Jason hung up his phone and turned back around to face his wife.

"Well, well," Brenda smirked, taking the situation lightly. "I do believe that you just lied." 

****

Courtney hung up the phone, frowning slightly. The conversation she had with Jason did not go as she thought it would have. Jason seemed to be steering away from the subject of Brenda and the annulment, and he seemed very closed to everything Courtney had said.

Courtney mentally shrugged it off and turned around to take a walk near the docks. But, before she could leave, someone stopped her.

"Who was that you were talking to?" 

****

Jason ignored Brenda's remark.

"We aren't going home tonight," he said, completely off subject. Brenda stared at him, curiosity bugging out of her eyes.  

"And why not?"

"Because," Jason moved closer to Brenda. Their faces were only inches apart. "We are going to end this marriage before we get back home, no matter what. Now, go pack. We're going to have to go somewhere else to get the annulment."

His balmy breath warmed Brenda's numb face when he talked, but it also sent shivers up her spine. This frightened her a little; she never thought that _Jason_ could have this effect on her. She was about to protest about this, but instead she ended up saying,

"Fine. I'll go pack."

****

"Sonny," Courtney sighed in relief, sitting down on her couch. "You scared me."

"Who were you talking to on the phone?" Sonny asked again.

"No one," Courtney answered hastily, not wanting her brother to find out about her and Jason until Jason was actually there. 

"It didn't sound like no one."

"It wasn't anyone important," Courtney replied, waving a hand. She was hoping that this would close the topic. Sonny studied her for a moment, and Courtney, determined, stared back at him. 

"Alright, if everything is okay…" Sonny said, moving towards the door hesitantly. Courtney smiled gaily. 

"Everything _is_ fine. I can take care of myself. I am a big girl now." 

****

It was pitch dark outside, and the wind was making a loud hissing sound while it blew. The stars were shining brightly through the thick sheets of rain that continued to fall down. Brenda had little time to marvel at this sight because Jason was pushing her onto the airplane. 

Brenda walked down the aisle of the airplane, past the rows of all the fluffy, over stuffed, blue chairs. She took a seat near the back, and Jason took the seat next to her.

"Please remember, passengers, keep your seat in the locked, upright position. Please keep your seatbelts fastened until the captain turns off the safety seatbelt sign. Please enjoy your flight to Scotland." 

She fought to keep her eyes open, but she ending up resting her head against the window and falling asleep.

She remembered taking off and flying for a few minutes, but she dozed off.

****

"Thank you for flying with us, and we hope you enjoy your stay here." Brenda rubbed her eyes tiredly and boarded off the plane, knees shaking slightly from sitting down for so long.

"Where do we go now?" Brenda asked once off the plane.

"Just up there," Jason said, pointing ahead. "A man is already waiting for us." He paused, laughing softly to himself. "Are you going to actually sign the papers this time?"

Brenda stopped in her tracks.

"I…" her voice trailed off.

_Yes. Yes, you are going to sign the papers._

"Brenda," Jason groaned. "Can you give me one good reason why you can't sign the papers?"

The sun drifted over the hills, causing light to spread over the hilltops that they were near. The light lavender sky was a color that was scarcely seen. The dew on the grown was causing Brenda's feet to become damp, but she couldn't feel much of her anyways. It was magical. It was like a scene out of a fairy tale.

"Because…" she tried to find the right words. "Because….I love you," the words spilled out of her mouth, and she laughed, happy to finally get the words our.  

Jason looked blankly at her, unsure of what to do. Ignoring her heart thumping madly in her chest, Brenda moved toward him, and before she could have a second thought, she kissed him.

Jason let out a soft moan at her touch and his arms rubbed her back. Brenda clenched her fists around his neck. And they broke away, sharing little kisses after.

This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening.

She smiled, feeling woozy but in a good way.  

Brenda settled herself back in her seat and mentally told herself to stay calm though she hated airplanes.  There was a grin on Jason's face that Brenda had never seen before.

"What did we just do?" he asked, unable to remove the smile from his face.

"Well," Brenda traced her finger along the lines of Jason's shoulder blade. "We did this."

She kissed him compassionately at his cheek, and her lips trailed over to his mouth.

The image of the two of them seemed to swirl in Brenda's mind.

****

Brenda woke up with a start. 

A cold sweat was creeping all over her, and her body couldn't seem to stop shaking.  Jason was staring at her, a concerned expression upon his face. 

"Are you okay?" he asked, offering her a plastic cup filled with a clear liquid. 

She ignored his question. Her heart was racing and she felt light headed. 

"Where am I?" she breathed.

"You're still on the airplane," Jason answered. "You fell asleep. You must have had a nightmare, you were freaking out in your sleep."

The dream. Realization washed over Brenda. 

**A/N** I know, Courtney/Sonny's part was a little weak, but that should come in later. I hope this chapter's length was better; I tried to make it longer. Please, please review! Your reviews urge me to continue faster!! Please review!


	4. Secrets no Longer Kept

Chapter 3: Secrets are No Longer Kept 

"Brenda, are you okay?" Jason implored again. Brenda looked up at him, and visions of her dream appeared in her head. Her head began to spin from everything that was happening.            

"Brenda?" Jason's voice brought her back to reality.

"Fine," she cracked, her voice oddly hoarse. "I'm fine." 

Jason still looked at her, doubtful of her words. His expression read: "Are you positive?"

"I'm sure," Brenda answered his unvoiced question. 

Jason pushed a strand of Brenda's hair out of her eye, but he moved his hand away from her face immediately after. He leaned back in his own seat.

"You're more trouble then you're worth," he muttered, taking out a newspaper.

****

Brenda's head rested on her hand as she stared outside the window of the airplane. The green and large blue splotches of land and water were coming closer and closer each minute. Jason's newspaper rattled to her right.

"Are we landing already?" Brenda asked, still glancing out the window. The flight seemed to be over like a flash of lightning, but she had been asleep.

"No," Jason answered, not looking up either. "We shouldn't be landing for a couple more hours. Why?"

Brenda's heart gave a sickly lurch, and a wheezing noise escaped her lips.

"Oh…" she whispered. "Oh my God."

"What?" Jason said, anxiety rising in his voice though he tried to hide it from her.

"The plane is going down. What's happening?"  

Jason didn't reply; he only looked out the window, and Brenda realized he didn't know what was going on either.

****

Courtney and Elizabeth worked their shift at Kelly's, doing the usual: avoiding each other. Courtney waited on her tables, and Elizabeth waited on hers. After a while of steering away of each other, Ric walked in and up to Elizabeth.

"Hi," he greeted. "How are you?"

"Fine, just avoiding blondie over there," Elizabeth replied gruffly, glaring at Courtney while she did. 

Now, what exactly do you have against Courtney?" Ric asked as Elizabeth placed a warm cup of coffee in front of him. She laughed sharply.

"God knows why I hate that little _back stabber_," she emphasized the last words. Ric raised his eyebrows.

"Now why would you say that about Courtney?" 

Elizabeth laughed again. "Because that is what she is." 

"Well," Ric said, leaning in closer over his mug. "Could you tell me exactly why she's a back stabber?" A devious, coy, wry grin formed on his face. "I am very interested in Courtney Mathews." 

****

"I'm going to…" Jason paused for a moment and rubbed his hand over his face. "Go talk to the pilot or someone who can tell us what is going on." 

Jason pushed himself out of his seat and headed down the aisle. Brenda just stared out the window, mouth aghast and still trying to comprehend everything that was happening. Would she be dying in only a few minutes, hours? 

Brenda became so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't even notice Jason walking back toward her with a grim look upon his face.

****

"Now why would you be so interested in Courtney?" Elizabeth asked. Ric shrugged.

"You were the one who brought her up." 

Elizabeth studied Ric for a moment, and then she decided,

"Alright, you seem trustworthy."

Ric grinned flirtatiously. "I'm flattered."

"Okay, you know Jason, don't you?"

"Sure I do."

"Well, you follow Courtney home one night when Jason gets back from wherever the hell he is, and you'll see what I mean," Elizabeth said, giving an indirect answer to Ric's question, but Ric was bright enough to understand the implied meaning.

Elizabeth wiped her hands on a towel and went to go get someone's order. Ric stayed where he was, piecing together all the information he had now.

****

Courtney pulled her coat tighter over her freezing body as she locked up Kelly's. The wind blew, and Courtney's blonde hair flew wildly.

"Well, fancy seeing you here, _dear_," a voice said behind her. 

Courtney spun around and came face to face with AJ.

"What do you want?"

"Nothing, just wondering what my wife was doing out here, in the cold. Is that a crime?"

Courtney showed no sign to hearing this comment. She walked off without so much as a good-bye.

"Now, now," AJ said, jogging up to her. "You mustn't be so bitter about your lover being gone with his wife." 

Courtney stopped walking, red flushing to her cheeks.

"What do you care about Jason?" she hissed. 

"Well, I am shocked. He is my brother after all."

"He may be your brother, but you like him no more then you like the thought of me being with him."

The stupid, dopey grin remained on AJ's face, and he didn't seemed faltered by this comment at all.

"Yeah, well, we'll see how long the two of you last which I think won't be too long."

"Get lost, AJ." 

"Do you really think you can get rid of your husband that fast?"

"If you won't leave, I will."

Courtney tore off, not looking where she was going, and because of this, she ran into the arms of Ric who was on a cell phone.

"Sorry, I wasn't paying attention," Courtney said, bending down to pick up her purse she had dropped. "Ric?"

****

Jason cleared his throat. This got Brenda's attention.

"What's happening?" she whispered.

"Brenda, we're going to crash." Brenda began to shiver.

"You're sure?" she asked.

"Positive." 

Brenda sunk down in her seat, and she felt tears coming on. A cell phone went off, and Brenda was half relieved not to have to deal with this until the call was over. He groaned. This was just what he didn't need now.

"Yeah?" Jason asked.

"Jason," an unidentified voice said. "Did you really think you could hide you 'secret' affair with Courtney? Were you ever going to tell anyone?" 

"Who is this?"

The caller laughed, and there was a thump on the other line. Another voice said,

"Sorry, I wasn't paying attention….Ric?"

Jason froze at the sound of the voice. It belonged to Courtney.

**A/N** Thank you for all the reviews for previous chapters. This is my first fic, and I am extremely please to receive so many positive feedbacks. Now, about this chapter.  AJ, Rick, and Elizabeth may have been out of character, but I only started to watch GH and this is my first actual fic. I know AJ didn't seem very AJ, but it all comes together at the end!  Now please review this chapter, and let me know what you think. I enjoy lengthy reviews; so don't hesitate to write one!


	5. Peril is no longer limited to the sea

Chapter 4: Peril is no longer limited to the Sea 

"Courtney?" Jason blurted out her name before he could think. He didn't even notice that Courtney mentioned another name: Ric. 

"Courtney, what are you…"

_Click._

The other line shut off, and Jason took the phone away from his ear, looking at it with rejection. 

"What was that?" Brenda asked. 

"Nothing, no one. Besides, we have more important things to concentrate on. Like dying?"

****

"Courtney?" 

As Ric helped Courtney back up from the ground, Courtney heard the voice on his cell phone, which now was lying on the ground.

"Is that…?" Courtney asked, gesturing toward the cell phone. 

Ric instantly left Courtney on the ground. He went over to his cell phone. Without saying anything to the other person on the line, he turned off the phone, snapping it shut.

Courtney, back on her feet, stared at Ric. "What…. what was that?"

"That? Nothing." Rick changed the subject. "I'm glad we ran into each other, actually. I've been wanting to talk to you."

"Who was that you were talking to?" Courtney pressed, not wanting to let the issue go. "Was that Jason?"

****

Brenda groaned. She didn't want to think about crashing. Hell, she didn't want it to happen at all.

"How much time do we have?"

"Ten minutes, fifteen max," Jason replied, sticking his hands in his pocket again.

"What are we going to do?"

"Just hope we land in water."

Brenda laughed sarcastically at him. "Are you joking? Was that supposed to be funny? Because I don't think this is the type of situation where humor would be appreciated."

"It's not a joke. Because if we are going to crash, it would be better in water. We could swim out of the plane. While on land, you can't tell what would happen."

"Well, here's some things: what about drowning, and sharks, and jellyfish," Brenda rambled on until Jason left.

Jason went back down the aisle.

"Where are you going?" Brenda stood up, about to follow him.

"To get the lifejackets out. You stay here and take your seatbelt off, and get ready to swim."

Brenda laughed nervously. She couldn't see how a situation such as this could be taken so lightly.

****

Skye sat in Kelly's, alone as she drearily sipping her coffee. She was oblivious to everything and everyone around her. That was, until Jax sat in front of her.

"How are you?"

"Have you seen Scott Baldwin lately?" Skye asked.

"No."

"He's trying to get me arrested, but besides that, I'm just super great."

****

Carly was flipping through papers for her new club as her husband walked in.

"Hey."

"Hey," Sonny said. "Have you heard from Jason lately?"

"No, why?"

"Well, he was supposed to be home today, but I haven't heard from him."

"Do you think something's wrong?"

"I don't know, but I need to call him." Sonny pulled out his cell phone and dialed Jason's number.

****

"What am I supposed to do?" Brenda asked, her voice tone rising higher. 

They were by the emergency exit now. It had been ten minutes, and the captain had already announced that they were crashing, offering a few pieces of advice that were completely useless. 

"Just put your life jacket on, and when you feel us going down and the nose hitting the water, open the exit door and swim to the top of the water," Jason directed, strangely calm. "Just relax, if you tense up, you won't make it to the top."

"God, that's so damn reassuring."

"Just settle down, we'll be fine."

Brenda looked up at Jason, and he seemed calm cool and collected. Her, on the other hand, was sweating, shaking, and breathing unevenly. 

"Are you sure?"

Jason just looked at Brenda. He placed his hand on Brenda's face. It was cold and drenched with sweat, and Brenda realized that he was nervous too, but he hid it, unlike her.

"I'll make sure you make it." 

Brenda smiled shakily at him, and she hugged him. Jason awkwardly wrapped his arms around her and inhaled the soft, rose petal scent of her hair. There was a thud, and Brenda jumped. Jason pulled her tighter to him and mumbled,

"You'll be fine. I promise."

****

"What?" Ric asked, acting as if he didn't hear the question.

"Were you talking to Jason on your phone?" Courtney repeated. 

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about," Rick grinned, walking closer to Courtney. She walked backwards, and found herself running into a brick wall of a building.

"You wanted to talk to me about Jason?" she said slowly.

"Yeah, I mean, you're close to him…..aren't you?"

"Why would you say that?"

"I don't know. Heard some stuff around, that's all."

****

The airplane began to jerk up and down, and Brenda knew this would be it. As if on cue, Jason's cell phone rang. Jason retrieved it from his pocket.

"Who is it?" Jason spoke, his voice reverberating from the jumping of the plane.

"Jason? Where are you?"

"Sonny?"

"Where are you?" Sonny repeated. 

"I…" The cell phone went dead, and the plane seemed vertical now. They felt a rush of air as some of the glass around them shattered. This was it.

****

"Jason?" Sonny shouted into the phone. "Jason are you there?"  A tone told him that the phone had disconnected. He hung up, puzzled.

"What'd he say?" Carly said curiously.

"Nothing. He disconnected before he answered anything."

"Well, is he okay?"

"I don't know," Sonny said, his voice dripping with worry. "I don't know."

Courtney stood on the stairs. She had heard the entire conversation. 

**A/N** Same thing, might have been out of character. Please, please, pretty please review. Also, if you feel like talking about the fic or just talking in general, you can instant message me, my screen name is AngryMob17 


	6. Under the Sea

Chapter 5: Under the Sea 

Courtney crept down the stairs, trying not to be heard but wanting to hear more of what happened to Jason. Unfortunately, she was unsuccessful at both.

"Courtney, what are you doing here?" asked Sonny. 

The subject of Jason was closed immediately as if Courtney was some delicate flower that could be stepped on at the mentioning of trouble or danger.

"I was wondering where the two of you were," she paused, mentally debating whether she should bring up the conversation she had just overheard. 

"Well," Sonny announced, "I have some business to attend to. I'll see you two. Bye."

Carly seemed unsatisfied.

"Are you going to call Jason back?" Carly spoke; and Sonny gave her a sharp look that showed her she shouldn't have brought it up, but Carly ignored it.

"I'm going to try," Sonny ended up answering after a moment's hesitation. 

"Then call him now. I want to know if he is alright!" Carly made a grab for Sonny's cell phone, but Sonny moved back, grabbing her arm firmly but gently at the same time.

"Carly, just settle down. I will handle this, everything is fine."

"Can you promise me that? Now Jason is in trouble, and you are just standing here! Do something!" Carly cried, starting to become hysterical.

"Just go home. I'll meet you there."

"Sonny, I…"

"Go home," Sonny ordered, more sternly now. "You too, Courtney. This doesn't need to affect you."

Before Courtney could protest, she found Sonny leading her and Carly out of the club, lecturing them on how this didn't have to affect them. That was Sonny's way. Don't let anything affect family.

****

Brenda forced her eyes shut as she felt the plane descend quickly. She felt like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, but she knew that this story couldn't possibly have a happy ending.

"Do you remember what you are going to do?" she heard Jason ask, his arms still around her. Brenda managed a weak nod, praying that this too was just dream.

It wasn't a dream. It was a reality. 

Surprisingly, during the entire ordeal, Jax, the person who was supposed to be the love of her life, never crossed her mind. She never worried about seeing him again. The only person she was focused on, besides herself, was Jason. 

Slowly, she opened her eyes, and she saw Jason, his normal expression on his face: serious, a little bored, and not frightened at all. 

She began to wheeze, knowing a few minutes, or seconds even, were left of being airborne. Her stomach churned furiously, and she began to cough.  She wished she hadn't opened her eyes.

She turned away, and the contents of her latest meal spilled onto the floor.

****

Courtney decided to walk home instead of taking a cab; it gave her more time to think. To her misfortune, Ric was walking near the same path that she was taking home. 

"Courtney," he called to her when they crossed paths. "We never got to finish our conversation, did we?"

"No," Courtney mumbled. "We didn't." 

Mentally, she thought, _and there was good reason why._

"Now what exactly were we saying?" Ric asked, even though he knew the answer to his own question. He didn't wait for Courtney to answer. 

"Oh, that's right!" He decided to act like he was clueless, which wasn't a very good look on Ric. "I was asking you about your relationship with Jason Morgan." 

"You know, I didn't answer your question about Jason before; you should have taken the hint from then." 

Courtney walked back to her apartment. 

"Courtney!" he called after her. 

"Fine," Ric said to himself. "I have other ways to answer my questions."

Ric strode off, in the direction of Kelly's.

****

"Brenda." Jason pulled her up off her knees. "Are you okay?" He didn't wait for an answer. "Brenda, get ready."

Brenda had no time to reply, or even think, because, only a few minutes later, the airplane hit the ice-cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

****

Ric walked into Kelly's for the second time that day, and, as he did before, he walked over to Elizabeth, who was just getting off her shift. 

"Hey, you're back," she said. 

"Hi, can I ask you a question?" Ric said, sitting down and gesturing for Elizabeth to do the same.

"Sure. What is it?"

"You mentioned something about Courtney and Jason last time we talked. What exactly did you mean by that?"

Elizabeth fiddled with a sweet-and-low packet, but, after a while, she threw it down and began to tell Ric the tale. 

"Isn't it obvious? The way Courtney looks at Jason every time he walks by or the way Jason makes sure that harm never affects Courtney."

"So, they're together?" 

"Of course they are! It's the classic love story!" Elizabeth spat out the word love. "She's the mobster's sister, and he's the mobster's hit man! How is it possible that they never had sex at least once?" 

Elizabeth stood up and slammed the chair back into the table. She stormed off, muttering words of disgust.

Ric leaned back in his chair and only grinned.

****

The airplane sunk lower into the deep depths of the ocean. The icy water hit Brenda and she felt her body resist. She seemed to have forgotten all of the instructions that Jason had given.

She forgot everything she had planned for her survival. 

Being under water was like a completely different world. Brenda adjusted to the temperature of the cool water, and she felt as if she could stay like this forever. It was only later that she began to feel sick to her stomach from not breathing.

Jason, who was already out of the plane and swimming upward, had already opened the emergency exit door. Brenda couldn't think straight.

Jason. Water. Drowning. Swim! Swim and save your life! Get out of the plane!

She began to lose control of her thoughts. Everything seemed like a blur. The watery inside of the plane was barely visible now. Brenda's entire world was turning upside down, and she felt herself go unconscious. 

Her last image was Jason swimming towards her and the expression on his face filled with worry.

****

Sonny cursed. He tried dialing Jason's number again, but he only got the annoying automated voice that told him that the number he was calling was out of service and that he should try redialing.

What was wrong? Jason always had his cell phone charged and on. Nothing ever could have forced Jason turn his cell phone off.

During his thinking, Sonny's cell phone began to ring. He hastily placed it to his ear and immediately said,

"Jason?"

"No," said a voice on the other line. "It's not Jason…"

****

Ric began to pace as he waited for the person he was calling to pick up. The phone only rang once before they picked up. They spoke into the phone. Ric replied,

"No, it's not Jason, but I do have some information about his that might concern you…"

**A/N** Okay, I finally got my plot up and running, and let me warn you, this fic will probably be at least 20 chapters. That might change later, but as I plan it out now, it seems like it will be 20 or more. I will try and post a new chapter each day now on, but we'll have to wait and see if I really do.


	7. Strength

Chapter 6: Strength 

Jason desperately swam back to Brenda, who was still in the airplane. Frantically, he grabbed her around the waist. Floating around her was reddish colored water, and Jason saw that the right side of Brenda's face was opened above her forehead.  

Jason felt a dagger go through his chest, and he realized that his breath wasn't going to last much longer. With Brenda clutched to him, he swam madly from the plane. On his way out, his shirt was caught on something. 

He continued to try and swim, causing his shirt to rip down the arm. He grimaced as the white, hot pain went down his arm, and his blood shed into the water as well. 

Brenda and him finally made it out of the plane, and the surface was visible, but Jason felt his energy leaving him.

_GO! _He urged himself. _Just a little farther! Swim! You can make it!_

He fell back into the ocean, but he pushed himself forward. Brenda suddenly grew heavier in his arms, and he couldn't feel his hands or feet. 

_Go…_

****

"Who is this?" Sonny asked.

"Ask your sister what she thinks about Morgan when he gets back. Study both of them closely, and you'll see what I mean."

_Click._

"What the hell…" Sonny mumbled, and he dialed *69 to see who it was who had called him.

The phone rang, rang, and rang. No one picked up. Sonny cursed. Some one was obviously up to something, and he was going to figure it out before anything happened.

****

"Are you just going to listen to him like that, Carly? He's treating you like a dog. When he says bark, you bark," Courtney said as her and Carly were walking out of Kelly's.

"No," Carly joked. "When he says bark, I ask how loud."

"I'm serious."

"I know you are, Courtney, but Sonny was serious too. There is something going on, and he doesn't want us interfering with him stopping it."

"Right, we can't in any way help. We are here to look pretty and be silent. Well, what's happening?"

"Nothing," Carly answered, dismissively waving a hand. "At least, nothing yet."  

Courtney stared her, puzzled.

****

Jax walked back into his house.

"Brenda?" he shouted. "You back?" 

He walked through the main parts of the house, searching for his fiancée. When he wasn't able to find her, he walked over to the message machine.

"You have one new message," the automated voice informed.

"Jax," Brenda's voice came over the machine breathlessly. There was a muffle of other people in the background, and he heard a male voice speak urgently,

"Brenda, come on!"

Brenda continued, "We couldn't get the annulment in the Dominican Republic, so we're going somewhere else. I shouldn't be gone too long. I should be back home in two days at least. I miss you. Bye."

"No more new messages." 

Jax picked up his phone and dialed the number of Brenda's cell phone.

****

Jason just laid there, his eyes closed and not moving. He couldn't feel any strength left in his body. The blood from his right arms formed a puddle around his hair and neck, but he didn't bother to move it. 

He turned over on his back, and the bright sun, even with his eyes closed, made him wince. Slowly, he opened his eyes. He let out a groan as a dull pain flowed all through his entire body.

A few feet away, Brenda was face in the sand, the surf coming in softly over her scratched feet. Jason quickly dragged himself over to her, despite the pain in his left ankle, to see if she was all right. 

"Brenda," he said, his voice hoarse. She didn't move. He turned her over, and he saw that her eyes were closed.

****

"What do you mean 'nothing yet'?" Courtney asked. "Something's wrong, now what is it?"

"It's nothing, really. You shouldn't have to worry about it."

"Carly, I won't worry about it; I just want to know what is going on. I have a right to know what is happening in my own life, don't I?"

"Yes, you do, but-"

"Then what is going on?" 

"Courtney-"

"Tell me!"

Carly threw her arms above her head, broken down. "Jason is missing! Okay? That is what's going on!"

****

Jax waited for Brenda to pick up, so he could hear her voice again and know when she would be back in his arms. 

The phone rang, rang, and rang. . .

Meanwhile, in the Brenda and Jason's old room in the Dominican Republic, Brenda's cell phone lay on a table. After a few times of Jax calling back, a wanderer picked up the phone.

          "Brenda?" Jax spoke into the phone once he heard that it had been picked up. 

The person on the other line couldn't speak English, so they didn't answer. Jax, thinking it was Brenda, kept repeating her name.

"Brenda. Are you there? If you are, please answer me. Brenda?"

In the end, the wanderer just hung up the phone.

Jax stared at the phone, puzzled by Brenda's actions. He hung up his phone too, feeling rejected and still not knowing when Brenda would be returning home.

****

Jason leaned in closer to Brenda, and he could hear that she was still breathing and her heart was beating, slowly but beating. He was slightly relived. He moved Brenda up onto the land, propping her against a tree. 

He ripped of a piece of his half torn shirt and began to pat Brenda's gash on her forehead. Her soft, damp hair tickled the cut on his arm. Once he finished tending to her gash, he just sat there, looking at her. 

After a few minutes, he looked away, seeming embarrassed that he just looked at her face even once. So instead he began to examine his surroundings. It didn't talk long to see that they were on a remote island with nothing around and no way out.

_Wise men say, only fools rush in,_

_But I can't help, falling in love with you._

_Shall I stay?_

_Would it be a sin?_

_If I can't help, falling in love with you._

_Like a river flows to the sea,_

_Darling, so it goes, some things are meant to be._

_Some things are meant to be!_

_Take my hand. Take my whole life too._

_For I can't help falling in love . . .falling in love with you._


	8. Hallucinations and Gun Shots

Chapter 7: Gun Shots and Hallucinations 

Sonny was at a loss. He had taken a lengthy walk, but it had done nothing except get a piece of gum stuck to his shoe. He walked back home, for once not knowing what to do.

He opened the door to his penthouse, and he saw Carly sitting on the couch, twiddling her thumbs and seeming as if she was waiting for him. 

"Hey. What are you doing?" Sonny greeted as he shut the door behind him.

Carly looked up, and Sonny saw that her eyes were red and puffy. He suspected that she had been crying. Quickly, Carly wiped her eyes to hide her tears she had shed.

"I was just waiting for you," she said, her voice cracking slightly. "Did you get a hold of Jason yet?" 

Sonny didn't answer her question. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Now what about Jason?" 

Slowly, Sonny walked over to Carly, and he wrapped his arms around and pressed his face into her hair, inhaling the soft scent of her hair.

"Sonny? What's going on?"

****   

Jason brushed the dry, itchy sand off his face, and he opened his eyes. He was lying on the sand; he must have fallen asleep. He pushed himself up but winced at the pain that shot up his leg. 

"Ugh," he groaned, clutching his leg. He went to lean up against a tree, but he realized that Brenda was there.

 So he lunged forward, desperate to get off Brenda. This caused the pain again, and he just lay on the sand, for once feeling completely helpless. Also, a dull pang in his stomach began, and he knew the hunger was beginning.

****

"Nothing, Carly. I just have some good news."

Carly broke away, a slightly confused expression on her face. "Good news?" she repeated. 

"I have a cabin book for us, far away where no one can find us. We can finally spend a romantic weekend together, all alone and together."

For some reason, Carly looked disgusted at this. 

"What's wrong?" Sonny asked.

"Sonny, your best friend is missing, and here you are, planning a weekend away with me and not worrying at all about him."

Sonny stroked his chin and shut his eyes. "Carly, I tried. I just don't know what to do. I can't find where Jason last was. His path all stops right after he arrived in the Dominican Republic." 

Carly wrapped her arms around Sonny's neck; she had never seen him so vulnerable before. 

"You'll- we'll- figure something out. I promise."

She gently kissed Sonny, and they just stayed there like that, in each other's arms.

****

Jason closed his eyes and just lay there. He listened to his breathing and his heart beat. For some reason, he never felt more alone. 

He began to do calculations in his head for their survival. He wished he could go look for around the island for food and water, but he couldn't stand the throbbing in his leg. 

Behind him, he heard something stir.

"Jason? Are you okay?" Jason opened his eyes, and above him was Carly.

"Carly?"

"Jason, are you okay?" she repeated. Jason, defeated, shook his head.

"No, I'm not okay."

**** 

Courtney walked into the loft, threw her coat down, and immediately went over to the phone to call Jason. Quickly, with her gloves still on, she dialed his cell phone number.

_Ring._

_Ring._

_Ring._

"Leave a message," Jason's voice came over the cell phone. 

Courtney let out a sigh of defeat. It was Jason's voice mail. She waited for the beep, and she was mentally planning out what she would say.

_Beep._

"Hi, Jason, it's Courtney. I was just calling to. . .to see if you were all right. Please call me back as soon as you can. Just call me. Bye."

She hung up the phone.

****

Jason closed his eyes, and the spirit of Carly disappeared. He slowly inhaled and exhaled, knowing that he was seeing illusions now. 

"Jason?"

"Go away, Carly," he mumbled, his eyes sealed shut. 

"Carly?" the voice inquired, and when Jason listened more closely, he could tell that the voice didn't belong to Carly. He opened his eyes to meet the sight of Brenda hovering over him.

"Brenda?" he asked, pushing himself up, but he gasped in pain.

"Jason? Are you okay?"

"I'm," he grimaced. "Fine."

Brenda shook her head. "No, you're not fine. What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong!" Jason replied rather sharply. His tone softened a little. "I am fine." 

Brenda took Jason's arm and pulled him up from the ground.

"AH!" Jason screeched from the twinge in his leg. Brenda leaned him up against a tree, wearing an expression that read: I told you so, why can't you just agree with me?

Jason leaned his head up against the tree, breathing heavily as sweat dripped down his face from the ache.

"Jason, what's wrong?"

"My. . .leg," he said through gritted teeth. He felt his temple throbbing. 

"What can I do?"

Jason didn't speak; he only looked at Brenda, still heavily breathing. "Your head's started bleeding again," he mumbled.

"I'm fine," Brenda dismissed. "Now what can I do for you?"

"Just…..stay here."

"Is that all?" Jason nodded his head.

****

"I have to go," Sonny said, pulling away from Carly.

"Where are you going?" 

"I just need to go out and think," Sonny replied, already half way to the door.

"Sonny, can't you do that here?"

Sonny shook his head and left Carly.

****

Sonny walked through a park and down to the docks. He stood there, looking out at the sight of outstretched water, and he sighed. Here it seemed like all of life's hassles were invisible.

A man could just stand here and get lost in his thoughts and be carefree- something that Sonny almost never got to do. All the pressures of his life felt as if they were lifted off his shoulders.

But, behind him there was someone lurking in the shadows. Silently, the figure loaded bullets into their gun, but Sonny was too caught up in his thoughts to hear them.

The figure grinned deviously. They held up their loaded gun and aimed at the man staring over the docks. The figure let the sweet moment sink in: the sweet moment of killing Sonny Corinthos. 

He pulled the trigger in what seemed in slow motion. He saw the bullet explode from the gun and fly through the air, right on target.

Sonny spun around, just in time to meet the bullet. 

Sonny fell to the ground, gasping for breath, and his hand moved to his right side. There was a thick, warm substance there. When he brought his hand back up to his face, he saw that it was blood. His blood.

**A/N** I probably spelled Sonny and Carly's last name wrong. I have been avoiding last names just in case of that. Well, please review and let me know what you think of this chapter. I know I am completely focusing on Brenda, Jason, Courtney, Sonny, and Carly. The whole murder mess with Skye and Alexis might be brought up later, but I am not sure. Any who, I will stop rambling know, so you can review!

Also, upcoming chapters won't be up as fast because of a whole mess that happened- won't go into details. But, let me tell you, the more you review the faster I will post!


	9. Back to your Normally Programed Schedule

Chapter 8: And now Back to the Regularly Programmed Schedule 

Sonny gasped as he felt the wound in his side. He was helpless- lying on the ground alone and no one knowing where he was.

He thought of a lot of things, but he mainly prayed for his family. He pled that someone would come around and see him there, maybe to salvage him though he convinced himself he was beyond salvation. 

The figure in the distance stared at the struggling body of Sonny Corinthos, and they couldn't help but smile even wider. They strolled away casually, knowing that the police and ambulance would arrive soon- if they ever did.

Sonny heard something behind him, but he never got to see who, or what, was there. His eyelids felt heavy, and they shut. He lost all consciousness right after.

****

Jason felt as if last night he had gotten drunk of his ass the night before. He felt as if he had the worst hangover; he felt like dying. 

"Is your foot broken?" Brenda asked.  Jason would have replied with a sarcastic comment, but he only nodded.

"I'm-"

"I know, I know. You're 'fine'. You've mentioned it once or twice before." She paused, biting her lip. "Are you sure if there is nothing I can do?"

"Just go look for some water we can drink. I'll die of thirst before I die from this leg."

She nodded. "Okay, but can I ask you something?"

Jason's brow furrowed, but he still answered, "Go ahead."

"Well, just out of curiosity, how are we going to get back home?" Brenda inquired. 

"Brenda…."

"Jason, just tell me. I may seem like a delicate, wimpy little porcelain doll, but I can handle the truth, especially in a situation like this."

"Actually, Brenda, I don't think you can."

****

Elizabeth walked outside, just getting off her ship at Kelly's. Ric and her were taking a short walk before each of them went home for the night. 

"So," Elizabeth said, shuffling her feet slightly. "What have you done today?"

"Not much. Well, at least nothing interesting. You?"

"Well, I-" she stopped short, staring ahead at something.

"What is it?"

Elizabeth pointed ahead of the both of them. She jogged closer to get a closer look. "It's a. . .It's a body," she breathed quietly.

Ric looked ahead at the lump on the ground, and his eyes grew wide. Elizabeth ran ever closer toward the body lying on the ground. 

"Oh my God, it's Sonny!" 

"Damn," Ric muttered under his breath, but Elizabeth didn't hear him. "What's he still doing here?

****

"911 please state your emergency."

"A man's been shot," Elizabeth rambled, her voice cracking. "He's unconscious, and I am not sure if he is breathing."

"Where are you, miss?"

"I'm at the docks. Sonny Corinthos has been shot. Come quickly."

****

"Jason, you don't get it do you?" Brenda sighed. "You're exactly like Sonny. You hide the truth from people who need to know it just because you think not knowing will help them. Now tell me."

"Brenda. . ."

"I know that 'Brenda'. Now please tell me what is going on."

Jason paused, seeming apprehensive at the idea. But, after a while of thinking, he replied, "You know everything I know."

"I do? There isn't something that you know that I don't?" Jason shook his head. "Nothing at all? I don't believe you."

****

"Hi Carly. Has Sonny found out anything about Jason yet?"

Carly laughed softly and spoke into the phone, "Not yet, Courtney. He's not sure what he can do. I don't even know what he could do."

"God, Carly. What could have happened to him?"

_Beep._

"Courtney, I have another call. I'll call you back." Carly switched to the other call, mentally wondering whom it could be. "Hello?"

"Mrs. Corinthos?"

"Yes. Who is this?"

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Corinthos, I am afraid that we have some bad news for you."

"What is it?"

"Your husband, Sonny Corinthos-"

"What happened to my husband?" Carly asked, clutching her wedding ring as if it protected her somehow, but she was still so vulnerable.

"He's been shot and is now at General Hospital."

****

Courtney hung up the phone from Carly and flipped on the television to pass the time before Carly called back.

"News has just been relied on us that an airplane form the Dominican Republic has crashed, containing only two American passengers- a male and a female."

Courtney froze, eyes glued to the television. 

We haven't received any more information, but there are searchers trying to find out where they might have crashed. Now back to your regular programming schedule."

 _No. . ._ Courtney thought. _It couldn't be; it wasn't possible._

****

Carly burst into General Hospital, demanding for her husband. 

"Where is Sonny Corinthos?" she asked a nurse who walked by her, pulling her aside.

"I'm sorry," the nurse apologized, taken aback by Carly's forwardness. "I do not know where he is. You might want to check in at the front desk."

"I know," Carly said irritably. "I just thought I could have found my husband, who could be dying, a little faster."

"I'm sorry, ma'am, you should just check in at the front desk."

Carly spun around to the desk, finding another lady sitting at the desk who looked as if she was helpless. 

"Can I help you, ma'am?"

"Yes, I need to find my husband, Sonny Corinthos."

"Alright."

"Are you Mrs. Corinthos?" a voice said behind Carly. 

"Yes, I am."

"Your husband just went into surgery for a serious bullet wound in his side. I do not know how he is doing, but I can take you to somewhere where someone might know."

"Thank you!" cried Carly, and she jogged after the nurse. _He's not dead, he's not dead,_ she kept telling herself. _He's not dead yet._

                                                ****

Courtney, once realizing everything that was happening, seized her phone and punched in Carly's number. She tapped her foot impatiently as the phone rang, only to hear the answering machine.

"Damn," she mumbled. 

"Carly? It's Courtney. Carly, I just watched the news, and they were talking about a plane crash that was coming from the Dominican Republic.

"They said it was a male and female, Carly. I'm a little freaked out. I know it just couldn't be Jason, but Carly, I am really scared now. What are we going to do?"

**A/N** Sorry this took longer, but I said it would in the last author's note. Also, I didn't know if Courtney had a TV in the loft, but I will just say she did. Now, please, please review. If you read this, I would REALLY like to know what you think!


	10. Stolen Kisses

Chapter 9: Stolen Kisses 

Carly sat in the hospital on one of the scratchy waiting chairs. She twiddled her thumbs, praying that Sonny would be all right. 

She knew that Sonny wasn't the best or morally right human in the world, but he didn't deserve to die like this. No one deserved to die like this. She covered her face with her hands. This was all her fault. If she hadn't let Sonny go, he would still be alive and with her. 

She let out a short cry but immediately stopped herself. There was no need to worry. Sonny would be just fine. He had to be. He just had to be.

****

Jason stared up at the stars that were just peeking out in the dark sky. Besides the fact that they were stranded here with no way out, the island wasn't too bad of a place to be. It was calming in way that back home never had. 

Brenda tossed a few feet away from him, and Jason gave up on sleep. There was too much buzzing going on in his mind for sleep.

He turned his head, and he just glanced at the sleeping figure of Brenda. He sighed; he had to get her off the island. She needed to get back home, and so did he.

****

Ric ended up walking Elizabeth home. Elizabeth was about the shut her door, but Rick stopped her by saying,

"Hey, are you going to be okay?" 

"Yeah," said Elizabeth, giving a half fake smile. "I'll be fine." 

"I can stay with you for the night, if you want," Ric offered awkwardly. After asking, he became very interested with his feet. A genuine smile crept onto Elizabeth's face.

"That would be nice."

Ric stared at the floor still, wrinkling his nose. "Ah, just 'nice'."

"No, I want you to stay. I really do."

"You do?" 

"Yes," Elizabeth couldn't stop grinning. "I do."

Slowly, their two bodies moved in closer to each other, and their faces met in a kiss. Ric wrapped his arms around Elizabeth, and both of them stumbled inside.

****

Courtney was awakened by the sound of her television she had left on. She was about to leave and find Carly, but something new caught her attention on the television.

"In the latest news, a local of Port Charles, Sonny Corinthos, was shot by an unknown attacker. He is now in the hospital in critical condition. We'll have more information on his state later today."

****

Carly was awakened to the sound of people being rushed into the ER. Her eyes fluttered open, and it took her a while to realize where she was. The memories of everything that happened flooded back into her head, and she groaned.

"Mrs. Corinthos?"

Carly looked up a she saw a nurse near her. "Yes?"

"Your husband came out of surgery while you were sleeping."

"Is he alright?" Carly asked, apprehensive whether or not she wanted to hear the answer.

"Well, he isn't responding to the surgery well."

Carly felt as if the wind was knocked out of her. "Will he be okay?" asked Carly faintly. "Will he live?"

The nursed rubbed his hands together. "Only time will tell. Right now it is about a fifty-fifty chance of living." 

Carly felt her legs give up, and she fell back into the scratchy couch.

"Ms. Corinthos, are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

"Is there anything you need?"

"My husband," Carly whispered.

"Excuse me?"

"I said that I need my husband." Tears began to weal up in her eyes. For the first time since she found out that Sonny had been shot, she never felt more scared.

****

Jason was awakened to a breeze coming by, sending chills up his spine. He went to get up, but his ankle prevented him. He rolled over and ran into something solid.

"Ugh, get off me." 

Jason's eyes opened, and he saw he Brenda's face right next go his.

"ARG!" he cried, and he flung his body away from Brenda's, which had been right next to his. 

Now Brenda's eyes opened, and she was about to make a comment when her eyes grew wide and her face filled with repulsion. She asked, 

"What. . .is that?"

"What's what?" 

"There's something wrong with your foot," Brenda said, pointing to Jason's bare foot. 

Jason looked down, and he saw that one of the bones in his foot wasn't how it should have been; the bone was almost protruding out of his skin. Two of his toes and his ankle were swollen and bruised. 

"Your foot's really broken badly. Here let me see."

Brenda crawled over to him and began to examine his foot. Jason winced when she moved it or touched it. 

"You're an idiot," Brenda said after a while.

"What?"  
  


"I said you're an idiot. You have obviously been in pain this entire time but decided not to tell me. Was it hurting even when you left to go search for food?" 

"I'll be fine, and I am fine."

"Jason, you're hurt. Now will you let me help you?" 

For a minute, Jason just stared at Brenda, and he felt his heart beating faster suddenly.  He felt like a schoolboy just about to ask a girl to the dance for the first time- nervous, almost giddy. 

_Stop it,_ Jason ordered himself, _this is just Brenda. Just Brenda. . ._

****

Courtney shut of the television, threw on some new clothes, and burst out her door on the way to General Hospital. 

Once she arrived, she began to search for Carly.

"Courtney?"

Courtney spun around at the sound of Carly's voice, and she saw Carly standing there, sunken eyes showed her she was having a fitful time.

"Carly, I came as soon as I heard. Is he okay?"

"Well, he's out of surgery, but he isn't doing so well."

"Have you seen him yet?" Carly shook her head. Courtney hesitated before asking her next question.

"Not to get seem like I'm not worried about Sonny, because I am, but have you heard from Jason yet?" Courtney asked.

****

After a few more moments of silence, Brenda said, "Alright, so we just aren't going to talk now?" 

"Sure," Jason mumbled. 

"'Sure' what? We aren't going to talk?"

"Sure you can help me." 

Brenda gave a small grin and picked up Jason's foot and began to roll up his pant leg. She began to fiddle around with his foot, and, for some reason, Jason couldn't take his eyes of her. 

In that few minutes, he knew he'd never be able to forget the way Brenda's hair fell in her face, the way her tongue slightly stuck out of her mouth in concentration, and the way her eyes seemed lighted up despite their situation.

Brenda felt Jason's glace, and she looked up at him. For a moment they both just stared. Brenda was the first one to move. She took Jason's foot off her lap and moved her body toward Jason's. 

There was a short moment when Jason and Brenda's faces just stayed where they were, a few inches apart, but the gap between their faces soon ceased. Brenda had moved in, and Jason felt Brenda's lips suddenly pressing against his. 

His mind went blank; there were not thoughts in his head. All that was there were Brenda and him, and the moment. He felt as if his heart stopped beating. 

Brenda's hands began to run up and down Jason's face, and Jason finally realized what was happening. Brenda was kissing him, and he was kissing her.


	11. Loathe

**Chapter 10: Loathe **

It took a while for Jason to realize what was happening. The kiss seemed to last for hours, but it really only lasted for a few minutes. The two of them fell back, and Brenda had Jason pinned to the ground.

Jason had no clue how far the two of them would go, but, no matter what screamed inside his head, he yanked his head away.  He tried to escape from Brenda's hold on him, but he couldn't move no matter how hard he tried to.

"Well," Brenda said, licking her lips with her tongue. 

Jason seemed to be unable to regain his breath. "Get off me," he gasped. 

Brenda pushed herself off him, and Jason stood up, leaning his weight on his right leg and a tree. Jason watched Brenda stand there, still seeming to comprehend what had just happened.

"What did we just do?"

****

"Carly, just go in and see him."

"Courtney, I can't. I know he is my husband, but I'm scared."

Courtney grinned reassuringly. "Just go in and see your husband. Tell him that you love him and that he'll get well soon. Because he will."

Carly gave a watery smile. "Okay."

She opened the door and walked in to see her husband. She looked in the middle, and she saw Sonny lying there, eyes closed. 

She walked over to the chair by his bed and sat down. She stroked his hand. Sonny opened his eyes, and Carly's smile grew slightly larger. 

"Hey you," she whispered. "How are you feeling?"

Silence.

Carly decided that she didn't need an answer, so she didn't press Sonny anymore. She only stared deeply into his eyes and stroked his hand softly.

"You'll be fine," she said softly, and Sonny closed his eyes and leaned his head against her shoulder. 

"Sonny?" The heart monitor next to Sonny gave a solid, ear-piercing beep. 

"Sonny?" Carly began to shake him. "Sonny, get up!"

The door flew open, and a doctor rushed in. A nurse had heard the beep and directed the doctor in. She led Carly out. Tears fell down Carly's cheeks.

"Sonny! Sonny, you can't leave me!" she cried. 

"Carly?" Courtney ran up to her, trying to settle her down, but she was unsuccessful.

"Carly, what's wrong?" 

Carly only answered by sobbing hysterically. 

****

Elizabeth waited her tables at Kelly's, silently grinning to herself. While she was waiting on a table, Ric walked in. Quickly, she finished taking the order and walked over to him.

"Hey, can I get you anything?" 

"No, I just came to say good bye."

"Good bye?" Elizabeth repeated. "Where are you going?" 

"Do you really want to know?" Ric asked, stuffing his hands into his coat pocket.

"Yeah, I kind of would like to know."

"I'm going after Jason and Brenda." 

Elizabeth frowned. "What? Did Sonny ask you to go after them or something?"

"No. Nothing like that"

"Then why are you going? Because those two, I think, aren't worth that much trouble." 

"I'll see you once I get back, okay?" Ric didn't answer her question and started to leave.

"Okay. I'll see you when I see you."

Ric walked out of Kelly's into the bitter cold. He was about the haul a cab when his cell phone rang.

"Hello?" 

"Lansing*, you got the tickets to go?"

"Yeah, I am just about to leave."

"You go there, and you make sure that those two never make it back to Port Charles."

****

Jason wasn't sure how he was supposed to answer Brenda's question. He wanted to scream at her that she was the one who made the move first, and he was too shocked to stop her. But that would be a lie. He wanted to yell that he hated the kiss, but he couldn't.

Instead, he came up with,

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

"What?" Brenda asked, appalled at his reply.

"You heard what I said. What the hell is wrong with you? You're bitching all the time about how much you love Jax and how you want to marry him, but you don't want to, I can tell." 

"I _do_ want to marry Jax, but, if you can't remember, I am still married to you!"

"Yeah, I remember just fine. I also remember that you could have signed a paper to end our marriage, but you didn't. Why is that, Brenda?"

"I have my reasons."

"Well, do you mind sharing them? I am your _husband_ after all." 

"Jason, if you are going to make it seem like this is my fault completely, you've got another thing coming. And if you are going to talk about all this crap with Jax, you're just a hypocrite. You don't want to commit either, so don't give me that shit. You are scared of maybe getting close to someone. Everyone who wants to be close to you for some damn reason you push away. So next time before you try and educate me the 'righter way', I suggest that you sort out your own problems." 

Jason looked at her, his face expressionless. He spoke in a low murmur next. 

"Don't act like you know everything about me because you don't even know the beginning, Brenda. You are so caught up in your life and your problems that you don't even know that other people have problems in life too. You are not, and never will be, in the position that my life is in every day. You can act all you want, but don't expect me to believe you. I am not in your fan club, unlike Jax. Hell, the only reason I married you was for the court, and if you had killed Alkazar, I would have left you to the death penalty." 

"Then why didn't you? I mean, I had a better chance of killing him then you, the hit man. Why didn't you leave me after the trial then?" 

"I did try and leave you after the trial, this is why we came here. Now if you are so brave and mighty, because you obviously do not need me or anyone else," Jason said through gritted teeth. "Then go survive on your own because you're only a little bitch that cannot be tamed."

Brenda walked toward Jason, and Jason, slightly confused at what she was doing, just stared back at her. Brenda raised her foot and jammed it into Jason's broken one. She twisted her ankle with her one high-heeled shoe. 

Jason felt tears rush into his eyes from the pain, but he held them back.

Brenda removed her foot, and Jason couldn't bear to look at what she had done to his foot.

"You're a bastard of a hit man," she whispered to him. 

She didn't wait for Jason to attack back, which he would have done if his foot didn't hurt so much. She walked off to the middle of the island, not looking back. 

Jason stared after her, but he collapsed to the ground after a minute of white, hot pain coursing through him. 

"Damn you, Brenda."

**A/N** The fight might have been stupid, but it was thrilling to write. This story is also going to include some of the stuff concerning Rick and Sonny-which will come up more later. So, please continue reviewing, and thanks for all the reviews last time! You can always e-mail me at KuteKaren66@alltel.net or instant message at AngryMob17

* I am not sure if that is how you spell Rick's last name or not. Is that correct or incorrect?


	12. Heat Exhaustion

**Chapter 11: Heat Exhaustion**

Courtney led a sobbing Carly toward a couch to sit down. She allowed a few minutes for Carly to settle down, rubbing her back sympathetically.

"What happened?" Courtney whispered. 

"I went to see him like you said," Carly hiccupped. "And I asked him how he was, but he never answered. I was fine with that. But then he closed his eyes, and his heart stopped beating." 

Courtney's mouth fell open, but she snapped it back shut. Carly broke out into another fit of tears. 

****

Jason leaned back up against the tree, sweating and breathing heavily. Since he hadn't had a normal drink of fresh water in a little less then a day, he was vomiting non-stop. The island seemed to be swirling around him.  He needed to get into the shade and cool down, but he couldn't move. 

He had to do something, but he couldn't think straight. He vaguely remembered what happened a few minutes ago; all other memories were a blur to him. He couldn't concentrate on anything.

"You know I wasn't lying when you're a bastard of a hit man," a voice said behind Jason. Jason slowly opened his eyes and saw that Brenda was standing in front of him.

"What are you doing here?" he inquired in a raspy voice. 

"Well, I was expecting you to follow me; but you didn't, so I decided to come back and find you." 

Jason nodded his head and reclined back against the trunk of the tree.

"Well?" 

"'Well' what?" Jason mumbled.

"Aren't you going to apologize?" Brenda asked.

"Are you?" 

"Fine. Jason, I'm sorry that I called you a bastard and said that you couldn't get intimate with anyone."

Jason was about to apologize himself, but his sight went black and the feeling of nausea came back. 

"It's your turn now," Brenda sid.

He turned to his right and he vomited. 

"Jason, are you okay?" Brenda kneeled toward him and rubbed his back slightly. 

Once all of Jason's stomach's contents were gone, he fell back into Brenda's arms.

"You're okay, you're okay," she kept repeating in Jason's ear.

"Brenda," he croaked. "I'm sorry." His eyes fluttered closed and then back open. 

"It's fine. You'll be fine; we'll both be fine."

Jason mentally agreed, and his eyes closed again, but this time for good.

****

"You're Mr. Sonny Conrinthos's wife, correct?" 

"Yes," Carly answered. "I am. Now is my husband going to live? Is he all right? What happened?" 

"Your husband had internal bleeding that the doctors had missed during his first surgery, so we are taking him in for a second surgery."

"Well, will he make it?"

"Ma'am, he has the same chances as he did last time."

"So because you messed up the first time, my husband could die right now?"

"This surgery is tricky, and mistakes are made a few times. You have to understand that we are doing everything we can to make sure that your husband will make it."

"Fine." Carly stared at the ground, her eyes empty. 

****

Ric arrived in the Dominican Republic later that day. The first thing he did was call someone on his cell phone.

"Lansing?"

"Yes," replied Ric. "I'm here."

"Have you gotten the location of the two?"

"Not yet, I haven't gotten to meet with Robert Smith yet, and he is the one with the codes."

"Well, you go and find them, and make sure you do before the rescue team does. You make sure they suffer a nice, long, painful death." 

"Yes, sir."

"And, Lansing? You make sure that Sonny Corinthos finds out nothing."

"Of course, sir." He hung up his phone and called for a car.

****

"Jason? Jason, wake up," Brenda desperately called. "Jason?"

She shook Jason's body. "God, wake up." She leaned toward his chest, and she could heart his heartbeat. For that, she breathed a sigh of relief. 

There was a drone in the background, but Brenda barely heard it. 

"Jason, please wake up."

The drone became louder, and Brenda finally looked up to see what the sound was.

There was an airplane in the distance, and it was flying low in the sky. Brenda jumped up, and Jason's body fell to the sand.

"HELP!" she yelled up toward the sky. "HELP US!"

****

Carly laid back in the chair of he hospital. She was drifting off into sleep. Her cell phone went off, and Courtney picked it up for her.

"Hello?"

"Mr. or Mrs. Corinthos?"

"No, neither of them are able to talk right now. Can I take a message?" Courtney answered.

"Well, do you know if they know Mr. and Mrs. Jason Morgan?"

Courtney's heart skipped a beat. "Jason?"

"You know Mr. Morgan?"

"Yes, I do. I'm Sonny Conrinthos' sister, Courtney Mathews. Have you gotten any new news on them?"

"Our rescue team has just located them on a deserted island off the coast of Africa. They are being taken to the nearest hospital for any injuries."

"Aren't they coming home?"

"Ma'am, they need to be seen by a doctor first, but we will be able to contact you and let you know if anything is wrong. Can you please give me a mode of contact?"

"Yes, you can just call back on this number. Do you know of any of their injuries right now?" 

"I do not, but I will alert you if anything new comes up."

"Thank you."

The person hung up, and Courtney's spirit felt especially lighter even though her brother was going through a possible fatal surgery right now. Courtney returned Carly's cell phone to her purse.

"Courtney, who was that?" Carly asked. 

****

The plane landed on the island, and Brenda ran over to the rescue time that was piling out.

"Ma'am, are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine, but," she pointed back to Jason. "He isn't."

Paramedics rushed over to Jason. After a minute of examining, they put his unconscious body on a stretcher.

"You should probably be examined too," a man said to Brenda.

"I'm fine," Brenda dismissed. "But will he be alright?"

"Well, it seems he had heat exhaustion, and if we don't take care of it soon, he could suffer from a heat stroke."

"Well, go take care of him," Brenda ordered, wondering why he wasn't doing that in the first place.

"We are already on it, but we have some questions for you."

"Like what?"

"Do you know anything about his condition with his foot, or are you feeling any pain anywhere?"

"I am fine. Now will Jason be alright?"

"We are not sure, but let's just get you two to a hospital."

"Fine," Brenda shook her head. "Is there a phone I can use on the plane?"

"Yes, but who would you want to call? Your husband is already here with you."

"Just. . .some friends," Brenda answered.

"Well, let's get you to a hospital first." The man ran into the plane, expecting Brenda to follow.

"Right," she mumbled to herself. "Jason. My husband."

**A/N** The next few chapters may sort of…sucky, but just stick with me, I will try and get more plot rolling! Now, as always, please review!! 


	13. Happily Ever After?

          **Chapter 12: Happily Ever After?**

          "Well," Courtney said, brushing a strand of hair out of her eyes. "I'm not sure who it was exactly, but they did have some good news."

          "What is it? I really would like to hear something good," said Carly.

          "Well," Courtney gave a tiny grin. "Rescuers found Jason and Brenda. They're taking them to a hospital, and we should be able to talk to them soon."

          Carly gave a small, shaky smile in return. "Are they okay- medially wise?" 

          "Well, the guy who called didn't tell me, but he said he'd call back with their condition."

          "Well, at least we have some good news, and I'm really glad that we got it."

          "Yeah, me too."

          They sat in silence for a while longer until a doctor came up to them, reading off a clipboard.

          "Mrs. Conrinthos? You're husband has just come out of surgery."

          "Is he alright?"

                                                ****

          Brenda was pushed into the airplane, and the paramedics were all over her like Tiny Tim on a Christmas ham. The plane had already taken off, and they were on their way to a hospital.

          "I'm fine, really," Brenda kept insisting, but no one would accept that answer. 

          They found a few cuts on her arm and a large gash on her forehead, and one doctor pronounced that it would need stitches. Eventually, they were satisfied with Brenda's condition and left.

          "Hey?" Brenda tried to grab the attention of someone. "Hey?"

          She pulled back on the shoulder of someone. 

          "Yes, can I help you?"

          "Yes, can you tell me if you know if Jason, that guy who you loaded on, is okay?"

          "Ma'am, I'm not sure, but we should be landing soon and there you can ask someone." 

          Brenda nodded. "Are we landing in Port Charles?"

          "No, we are landing somewhere in South Africa."

          "We aren't going home?"

          "No."

          "Well, why not?"

          "Miss, your husband needs immediate treatment, just in case. We wouldn't have time to fly home."

          It took Brenda a moment to realize who "her husband" was, but then it came to her. 

          _Oh yeah, I'm still married to Jason._

****

          "Lansing, we were thinking that you wouldn't show."

          "Well, you're wrong; I'm here. Now, I was told you would have something for me, so do you have it?" Rick asked. 

          "I have it, but there have been a slight change of plans."

          "What the hell do you mean 'a slight change of plans'?" Rick almost yelled.

          "Mr. and Mrs. Morgan have been rescued just a few hours ago."

          Rick's bag fell from his shoulder as if on cue. He clenched his fist and pounded on the desk, striking it once causing pens to rattle. 

          "What?"

          "Mr. and Mrs. Morgan are no longer on the island."

          "Why the hell not? We got them on that damn island, now how could we let them get off?" he said in a deadly whisper. "If you tell me that Corinthos somehow traced his hit man from his hospital bed…"

          "From what we know, Corinthos has no clue about what happened. If someone hadn't shot him, we would have him right where we need him."

          Rick's head gave a fast jerk at the mentioning of Sonny getting shot. "Whoever shot Sonny did the right thing. The man needed to have his crown knocked off him." 

          Rick was studied very carefully for a few minutes, but he broke the silence by saying,

          "Well, what do you have for me, Smith? If you don't have anything to my use, you can say good-bye to everything that you have."

          "Here."

          Smith shoved a stack of papers toward Rick, and Rick took them.

          "What are these?"

          "Location of where the two will be taken and your tickets to get there."

                                                ****

          "Is he alright?"

          "He's responding to the surgery much better then last time, but we still have to wait until we know the exact outcome." 

          "Thank you," Carly said. She turned to Courtney. "It looks like everything is working out for us now, doesn't it?"

          "Yeah. It's…great."

          "Something's wrong. What is it?"

Courtney waved a hand, and she said, not very convincingly, " No, everything is fine." She paused, taking time to sit down. "It's just that I have a bad feeling."

          "Courtney," Carly said as she was sitting next to her. "I had that feeling before too. The one where you know something bad is about to happen or something is about to go wrong, and you know what?"

          "What?"

          "I was always wrong. Yes, something happened, but it solved itself. Nothing permanent ever happened."

          "I know all that, but I still feel it." She covered her face in her hands. "I just wish that I could see Jason. I wish I could just go fly on an airplane and see him"

          "I know you do, but you can't just go find him."

          "I wish I could." 

          Carly's cell phone, which as still in possession of Courtney, rang. Courtney jumped and immediately answered the phone.

          "Hello?"

          "Ms. Mathews?"

          "Yes."

          "Jason and Brenda Morgan have just arrived at the hospital."

          "Are they alright?"

          "Mrs. Morgan needs stitches on her forehead, but Mr. Morgan is not doing so well."

          Courtney's heart jolted. "What's wrong with him?"

          "The doctors told me that he suffered from a heat stroke. Right now he is in serious condition."

          "God," Courtney whispered to herself, then she asked, "Where is he at?" 

          She finished the conversation and hung up the phone.

          "What was that?" Carly asked.

          "That was…someone calling for me. Carly, I'm sorry, but I have to go. I'll come back as soon as I can."

          Before Carly could reply, Courtney was outside the hospital and dialing a new number on her cell phone.

          "Hello? Yes, when is the next plane out to South Africa?"

                                                ****

          Jason was rushed into the hospital with Brenda jogging behind. Doctors surrounded him, and some others were trying to grab her.

          "I just want to see Jason," Brenda said. "I am fine. He isn't! Can't I just see him?"

          "Ms. Morgan, we need you to calm down, and we can get you a room."

          "I'm fine!"

          "Brenda!" 

          Someone came running up toward her. When the person came closer, Brenda realized who it was. 

          "Aren't you Jason's old attorney?" 

          "Yes, where is Jason?" Rick asked. 

          "I don't know, no one will let me see him. Something's wrong with him, but I don't know what."

          "I'll take care of it," Rick said, sympathetically rubbing her back. "I'll take care of you both."

          **A/N** I had a time lapse, so Rick was able to be at the hospital when Brenda and Jason got there. So in the next chapter Courtney will get there faster then it seems. Also the next chapter won't be up soon because my family is vacationing! My next chapter should be up Tuesday, March 18. 


	14. Confrontation

**       Chapter 13: Confrontation**

          Courtney practically flew off the airplane. Only one thing kept running through Courtney's head, and that was Jason. She grabbed a piece of paper with the address of the hospital from her bag, and she hauled a cab. 

                                                ****

          "Here you go."

          Brenda gladly accepted the full glass of water from the nurse and took a sip. After a minute, she sat the glass down and asked,

          "Have you heard anything about Jason Morgan yet?"

          "No, miss, I'm sorry."

          Brenda wanted to scream. For this place being a hospital, an almost empty hospital, no one knew anything about Jason. 

          The door of her room opened and in came Rick. Rick had split off after a doctor led Brenda to her room. He waited for the nurse to leave the room until he spoke.

          "Did you find out about Jason?" Brenda asked instantly. 

          "I didn't get to see him, but the doctors told me that he almost died out on the island." Rick paused for a moment, sitting down in a chair. It seemed almost as if he was debating whether or not he should mention what he wanted to say. 

          "What is it?" 

Rick looked up, and, though he tried to hid it, his eyes were bulging with curiosity. 

          "Brenda, I need you to tell me exactly everything that happened from right before you crashed onto the island."

          "Why would you need to know?"

          "I'm just trying to help you and Jason. There could be legal issues here."

          "Legal issues?"

          "You know, you could sue the airplane company, or-"

          "I don't want to bother with the law," Brenda replied dismissively. "I just want Jason to be alright."

          A wry grin came to Rick's face, but he hid it. "That's awfully…._caring_ of you, Brenda." 

          Brenda gave a half, sarcastic grin. "Glad you think so."

          "It's just I thought you hated Jason."

           "I don't hate Jason, but I certainly don't love him either," Brenda lied. 

                                                ****

          Carly didn't have time to think about Courtney's quick departure because a doctor came over to her saying that Sonny wanted to see her. 

          "Hi." Carly walked a little farther into the room, cautious about how close she came to Sonny. 

          "Carly," Sonny spoke weakly. "I'm sorry for the whole shooting thing."

          "No," Carly replied mellowly. "It's not your fault at all." 

          "It is," Sonny nodded. "I made you worry, didn't I? If I hadn't been shot, you wouldn't have to gone though all of this stress."

          "That's true, but, Sonny, we are all okay now."

          "Yeah," Sonny agreed unenthusiastically. "Carly?"

          "Uh huh?"

          "Did you ever hear from Jason?"

          "Yeah," Carly replied. "I did."

          "What happened?"

          "Sonny, his and Brenda's plane crashed on the island." Sonny jumped up in his bed at the news, but Carly pushed him back down gently. "Don't worry, he's been found and taken to a hospital in Africa." 

          Sonny nodded. "How is Courtney?"

          "She's fine. She just stepped out a short while ago. She'll be glad to know that you are alright."

          "And…where is Rick?"

          "Sonny, what the hell do you care about that-"

          "Carly, just where is he?" 

          She rolled her eyes. "I don't know. I think he left for somewhere."

          "I need you to do something for me."

"Sure. What?"

 "Call his cell phone- you know the number. I just need to figure out where he is."

          "Sonny, I-"

          "Carly, I can't explain this, but I need to know where he is."

                                                ****

          Courtney burst into the hospital. Immediately, she ran up to the front desk.

          "Can you show me to where Jason Morgan is?"

          The secretary looked up at her, a quizzical look upon his face.

          "And how do you know Mr. Morgan?" he asked, his voice slow and steady. 

          "I'm close friend," Courtney replied. "Practically his sister almost. Can I see him?"

          "I'm sorry, but no one is allowed to see Mr. Morgan right now; he is in critical condition, if you have not heard already. But his wife is in fine condition and ready for visitors."

          "Wife?" Courtney retorted.   
  


          "Yes, Mrs. Brenda Morgan, Mr. Morgan's wife."

                                                ****  

          _Ring._

_          Ring._

"Hello?" 

          "Rick?" Carly began to pace down the room. "It's Carly."

          "Carly…why are you calling me?" Rick's voice responded. 

          Carly looked over at Sonny, who had insisted that she stay in the room while calling Rick.

          "Just wanted to see what you've been up to. And were you've been, I haven't seen you lately." 

          "I've been around."

          "Rick," came a female voice over the phone. "Who is that?"

          Carly recognized the voice instantly. "What is Brenda doing there?" 

          The was a muffled sound of Rick talking to Brenda, and then he said, 

"Carly, I got to go, but I will call you back later," Rick answered quickly. "Bye." 

          Carly flipped her cell phone closed and turned to face Sonny. "Well, wherever Rick is, Brenda is there. 

          "What the hell does Rick want with Brenda?" Sonny asked aloud to himself.

          "Well," Carly said, closing the matter. "Once you and Jason get better, you can ask Jason to follow him, but until then, do we have to think about it? Can't we just be happy that you are okay?" 

          "Rick and Jason are in the same place?" Sonny eyes, grew wild and fiery.

          "Well, I just figured if Brenda was there, Jason would be there too. So yes." 

          "Jason needs to get back to Port Charles. You call that hospital off his, and tell them to send him home," Sonny said bluntly.

          "What's wrong with Rick and Jason being in the same place?" Carly asked.

          "I just do not want Jason anywhere near Rick."

                                                ****

          "Ma'am, would you like to see Mrs. Morgan?" the secretary asked.

          Courtney faintly nodded her heard. "Yeah, actually, I would." 

          She straightened her duffel bag on her shoulder and followed a nurse who was directing her to the room.  She walked past rooms, briefly looking inside each one to see if Jason might be in there. Anger coursed through her that Jason and Brenda were still married. It didn't bother her before, but maybe Carly was right. Brenda wanted to control everything and everyone.  Eventually, they stopped at a room.

          "Here is the room. She has another visitor in there right now, but you can go ahead in."

          Courtney opened the door and found Brenda and her visitor. 

          "Courtney?" Brenda said more as a question then a statement. "What are you doing here?"

          "Well," Courtney walked farther inside, trying to contain her fury. "I came to see if Jason was alright, but it turns out he isn't. Do you know why Brenda?" 

          Brenda swallowed. "Why?"

          Courtney's attention lingered from Brenda to her visitor. "Rick, what are you doing here? Are you here asking Brenda about her so called annulment with Jason too? Because I can answer that question for you, they're still married."

          **A/N** I know, kind of weird with Courtney. And soon Jason and Brenda will see each other, and the real confrontation will happen. The next chapter doesn't really have to do with Brenda/Jason, but just wait. These few chapters are setting up the new ideas to get ready for the Jason/Brenda thing.

          Please review!


	15. Deception

        **Chapter 14: Deception **

        The door behind Courtney opened again, but this time it was only a doctor.

        "Which one of you asked the front desk if you could see Mr. Morgan?"

        "That was me," Rick, Courtney, and Brenda all said. 

        "Why would you want to see Jason?" Courtney asked Rick.

        "Well, Brenda asked me to-"

        "I can see him myself," Brenda claimed. 

        "You need your rest, Brenda," Rick mumbled.

        "Well, then, you can stay with me. Courtney can go and let us know if he is alright." 

        Courtney was thankful that of what Brenda said, but she wasn't going to voice her thanks. After all, Jason and Brenda were still married, and judging by Carly had told her about Brenda, Brenda was probably the reason they were still married.

        "Okay, then," the doctor said. "One of you can follow me."

        Courtney crossed her arms over her chest, not looking at either Brenda or Rick, and followed the doctor out of the room. 

        Once again, Courtney walked by the many halls of doors, heart thumping. Eventually they came to a door, 9A, and the doctor announced,

        "Here's the room. Please try and keep your visit as short as you can."

        Courtney slowly opened the door of the room and walked inside.

                                        ****

        The cold, harsh wind was fierce outside, and as Jax opened the door to Kelly's, the breeze cam in with him. He walked over to the main counter and sat down.

        "Hey, Jax. You must be mighty happy," Elizabeth remarked, taking out a pad to take Jax's order.

        "Why would I be as happy as you think?" asked Jax.

        "Didn't you hear the news? Brenda has been found."

        "Found from where?"

        "Brenda and Jason's plane crashed on some remote island off the coast of Africa." The look of shock on Jax face told Elizabeth that he didn't know anything about this, so she continued, "They've been rescued and taken to a hospital."

        Jax was out Kelly's before Elizabeth could get another word in.

                                        ****

        "What's your problem with Rick, Sonny?" 

        "Carly, call Jason for me. I want to talk to him," Sonny ordered.

        Carly stared back at her husband, offended. "Sonny, don't tell me what to do. I am your wife, not your employee," Carly replied, getting slightly agitated. "Now tell me what this whole thing with Rick is."

        "Carly," Sonny shouted, but then he calmed himself down. "Just call Jason for me. I want to talk to him."

        "You need your rest, so listen to _my_ order. Just relax. Everything can wait until you are well again. If you need anything, you can ask me, but wait for work until later. Can you do that for me?"

        "Carly, I-"

        "Can you do that for me?" She began to softly stroke Sonny's hand. 

        "I don't think so, but I'll try."

        Carly grinned and gave Sonny a soft peck on the cheek. 

                                        ****

        Courtney shut the door quietly behind her and walked closer to the hospital bed. 

        Jason rested in the bed up against the headboard, the white and cotton sheets neatly wrapped around him. His eyes were closed peacefully, and Courtney hated to wake him up. 

        She slowly walked over to him and pulled up a chair next to his bed. She looked down at the end of the bed, and she saw Jason's foot in a heavy cast.

        While Courtney looked out near the door, Jason's eyes opened. He jumped up slightly at the new surroundings, a sharp pain shooting up his leg. 

        "Hey," Courtney said once she realized he was up. She stroked his arm to comfort him.

        "Where am I?" croaked Jason.

        "You're in a hospital in South Africa," Courtney answered. "Are you okay?" 

        "What are you doing here then? Aren't you supposed to be in Port Charles?" 

        If Courtney was offended by this comment, she didn't show it. "I came to see you and if you were all right. What happened?"

        Jason leaned back against the pillows behind him, suddenly exhausted like sitting up had cost him all his energy.

        "The plane crashed," he mumbled, eyes closing. "We had to swim to the surface, and we barely made it before we drowned. We were the only ones that made it." 

Courtney brushed Jason's face, causing him to jump. His eyes opened, and the two of them stayed like that for a moment- looking into each other's eyes.

Jason continued, "Then I don't remember. Brenda and I…"

        He stopped. He tried to ignore his last comment. He licked his crack lips, not wanting to say anymore.

        "What about you and Brenda?" Courtney asked.

        "We just fought- you know Brenda," Jason said, which wasn't entirely a lie. They did have a fight; he just left out one of important components, the kiss. 

        "Then I just remember getting sick and closing my eyes. Next thing I know I'm here."

        After a moment of silence, Courtney asked, "Why did you take the plane? Why didn't you just come back home to Port Charles?"

        "I don't really remember anymore," Jason lied. 

        "That's okay," Courtney rubbed his shoulder softly. A small smile crept onto her face. She gently laid her head on Jason's shoulder and softly kissed his cheek. 

                                        ****

        Rick stood outside of Jason's hospital room, staring enviously inside. Jason Morgan had it all, and everyone either feared him or wanted to befriend him. Even Elizabeth, a girl who showed a slight interest in Rick, still had an awful hangover from Jason.

        Yes, Jason had it all. But that was all going to change so very soon.
    
    _If I had just one tear rollin' down your cheek, _
    
    _Maybe I could cope,_
    
    _Maybe I'd get some sleep._
    
    _If I had just one moment at your expense,_
    
    _Maybe all my misery would be well spent. _
    
    _Yeah. _
    
    _Could you cry a little?_
    
    _Lie just a little._
    
    _Pretend that you're feeling a little more pain._
    
    _I gave, now I'm wanting something in return._
    
    _So cry just a little for me. _
    
    _If your love could be caged,_ 
    
    _Honey, I would hold the key,_
    
    _And conceal it underneath._
    
    _The pile of lies you've handed me,_
    
    _And you'd hunt those lies._
    
    _They'd be all you'd ever find,_
    
    _That'd be all you'd have to know._
    
    _For me to be fine._
    
    _Yeah. _
    
    _And you'd cry a little,_
    
    _And die just a little._
    
    _And maybe I would feel just a little less pain, _
    
    _I gave, now I'm wanting something in return. _
    
    _So cry just a little for me._
    
    _Give it up baby,_
    
    _I hear your doin' fine._
    
    _Nothings gonna' save me,_
    
    _Til I see it in your eyes ._
    
    _Some kind of heartache honey,_
    
    _Give it a try._
    
    _I don't want pity. _
    
    _I just want what is mine._
    
    _Yeah. _
    
    _Would you cry a little? _
    
    _Lie just a little._
    
    _Pretend that you're feeling a little more pain._
    
    _I gave, now I'm wanting something in return._
    
    _So cry just a little for me.  _
    
    _Yeah. _
    
    _Cry just a little for me,_
    
    _Whoa, whoa._
    
    _Could you cry a little for me? _

**A/N** Brenda/Jason stuff will come in again soon. Now, I know people are reading, so to make me feel a tad better, please review! Even if it is just an e-mail to KuteKaren66@alltel.net I want to know what you think! So, please review!


	16. Two Men in a Hospital

          **Chapter 15: Two Men in a Hospital **

          Rick couldn't tear his eyes away from Jason. 

          Jason Morgan was a heartless, guiltless killer, but he had everything he could want. He was on top of the world, and luck always seemed to be on his side. But, there he was: completely vulnerable to be killed now by just pulling back a trigger, and Rick was just the man to do that.

          But no. He would wait. Torture lasted much longer. He picked up his cell phone and dialed a number.

          "I have a new plan." 

                                                ****

          The moon shone through the hospital room of Sonny's. He lay in bed, unable to fall asleep. And how could he sleep? There was too much to do. 

          On the table next to him, he saw Carly's discarded cell phone. He quietly reached for the phone. His scratched fingers dialed a number, and they held the phone to his ear.

          _Ring._

_          Ring._

                                                ****

          A cough came over Jason, and for a few minutes straight he hacked into his hand. He leaned back on his pillow, silently regaining his breath. 

          "Are you okay?" Courtney asked.

          "Fine," Jason muttered, pushing himself up with his elbows. "I just want to get up."

          "You need to rest," Courtney said, pushing him back down. 

          "I am fi-" Jason never finished his sentence because his cell phone rang off, and, with a great look of disapproval from Courtney, he picked it up. 

          "Yeah?" Jason asked. 

          "Jason, that you?"

          "Sonny?"

          "I'm glad I caught you instead of someone else," Sonny said. "I don't have long, so I'll make this short."

          "What is it?" 

          "Rick Lansing is where you are," Sonny said, and Jason guessed that someone had already told Sonny about his situation and where he was.

"What does Rick want here?"

 "Just stay away from him." 

          "What's wrong with him?" 

          "He's planning something, and I want to figure it out before he can act on it."

          "I'll come back to Port Charles and help you then."

          "No, you stay there until the doctors send you home. You just remember what I said."

          "I'm fine," Jason said. "And I'm coming home soon."

          He hung up. 

          "You are not fine, and you need to stay in the hospital until you're strong," Courtney debated. "Now who was that?"

          Jason just stared at her, and Courtney sighed. "Right, I know. Some things you can't tell me." She sat on the edge of his bed, fiddling with her fingers.

          "Courtney, do me a favor," Jason said, shifting closer to her.

          "Sure. What is it?"

          "Go back to Port Charles. I'll come too, just on a different flight. Call the airport and get yourself and Brenda plane tickets out of here."

          Courtney hesitated before answering. "Jason, you need to-"

          "Just go back to Port Charles and take Brenda with you. I am fine. I just need to get back."

          "Okay," Courtney agreed reluctantly.  

          "Get the tickets and come back for Brenda tonight." Jason leaned back. "And Courtney? You never saw me here."

          "Right." She stood up and walked over to the door. "Bye."

          No answer. She sighed in defeat and opened to door.

                                                ****

          Rick hung up from his call and left the outside of Jason's hospital room. He found himself walking. He walked to the front desk.

          "Can I help you, sir?"

          "Yes, I need to check Mrs. Brenda Morgan out of the hospital," Rick answered.

          "Sir, the doctors have requested that she stay at least over night. Her husband is in no condition to-" 

          "Mrs. Morgan's fine, is she not?"

          "Her husband has requested for us not to remove her personally."

          "Do you now everything about the marriage?" Rick asked deviously. "I am Brenda Morgan's brother, and I think that I know what's best for her more then her husband."

          "I do-"

          "I will be checking Ms. Morgan out," Rick stated firmly. "Now you can either help me or watch me without your consent." 

                                                *****

          "Is Jason alright?" Brenda asked. 

          Rick shut the door of the hospital room behind him and mentally grimaced at the mention of the "saint's" name. 

"He's recovering well, but there was one thing he wanted me to do with you." 

          "What's that?"

          "He wants me to take you back to Port Charles."

          Brenda frowned, puzzled. "Jason doesn't trust you," she stated.

          "He may not trust me as lawyer, but he wants you out of here. He wants you to be safe. He said so himself." 

          This was it. He hooked the fish and was pulling it back up. Brenda would do whatever he said Jason "ordered" him to do.

          "Okay," Brenda agreed. "If Jason said so."

          "He did, he did," Rick confirmed. "Now I'll just take your bags, and we'll be out of here soon."

          Brenda climbed out of bed, grabbed a set of clothes, and went to change. 

          A few minutes later Brenda came out of the room again.

          "Ready?"

          "Yeah."

          "Then let's get out of here." Rick grabbed Brenda's arm gruffly and quickly led her out of the hospital.

                                                ****

          "Courtney, where are you?" Carly asked.

          Courtney, on the other line, hesitated before answering. "I….I came to see Jason."

          "Courtney," Carly said, her voice disapproving. 

          "I know what you're going to say, so don't bother. Besides, nothing happened. I'm coming back home and bringing Brenda with me."

          "Well, I was going to say that," Carly admitted. "But I was also going to ask if Jason was okay."

          "He's fine; he only needs to rest for a while, which he refuses to do. He wants to come back to Port Charles, of course.

          "How is Sonny, by the way?"

          "He's much better. He wants to leave the hospital too, but the doctors won't let him out for at least another week."

          "Well, I should be home soon. I'll see you later." Courtney hung up the phone and went to go get Brenda.

                                                ****

          *******Jason stumbled out of his room, fully dressed now, and asked a nurse where Brenda's room was. He limped down a few hallways until he reached the room. He opened the door only to find that the room was empty. He collapsed into a chair.

          Someone must have gotten to Brenda first. 

          **A/N** Okay, I was going to have some Brazen stuff happen at the end, but then I realized I had Brenda leave. Sorry! I will try, try, try to get some Brazen in here soon. 

 I have a vague idea of what I want to do, but I am not sure exactly what I am going to write. The next chapter may take a while to post because I have a slight writer's block. Please review!

******* Jason is using crutches that he was given by the hospital. I just didn't feel like writing that in there.


	17. Discarded Gun

**       Chapter 16: Discarded Gun**

Jason didn't pause for long in Brenda's room once he saw that she wasn't there. Thoughts raced through his head. _Was Brenda okay? Was she kidnapped? Or has she just gone out for a walk like he did? _

He charged out into the hallway, his crutches slipping on the tile floor. He found the nearest nurse, ran up to her, and asked,

"Where is Bren- Ms. Morgan?"

"She should be in her room," the nurse replied, looking Jason up and down with a look that read: shouldn't you be in your room? 

"She's not," Jason replied to the nurse. 

"Oh that's right," the nurse remembered. "Her brother checked her out just a few minutes ago.

 "Her brother?" he questioned. "She doesn't have a brother."

The nurse gave a half shrug. "Then who was the man who just checked her out?"

"What did the man look like?"

The nurse shrugged for a second time. "I didn't get much of a glimpse of him- black hair, suit, and that's all I remember." 

Jason didn't wait for the nurse's memory to kick in anymore; he headed to the door, hoping to catch Brenda before she left- or was forced out- the hospital.

                                      ****

Brenda turned around on her heel and began to walk back inside the hospital.

"Where are you going?" Rick asked urgently, pulling her back by grabbing her arm.

"I left something. Besides, shouldn't the hospital know I'm leaving?" She began to walk back inside again, but for a second time, Rick yanked her back. 

"What are you doing?" Brenda started, "Let go of my arm-" 

"Brenda," Rick said in an oddly firm voice. "We are leaving, you can't go back in, you can't get what you left, and you will just shut up and come."

"If there's one thing I hate," Brenda retorted, trying unsuccessfully to pull her arm out of Rick's grip. "I hate people, like you, Rick, telling me what to do."

"We're leaving." Rick's rigid grip on Brenda's arm tightened, and Brenda winced at the slight twinge of pain.

"Let go of my arm," she shouted. Rick's grip didn't loosen, but his other hand did fly to her mouth to muffle her shouting. Even though Brenda was struggling now, no one around her came to her aid. No one even noticed.

"Shut up and come with me." 

"Let go-" Brenda stopped short. Rick's jacket moved, and Brenda caught sight of a gun. She froze at the sight; she would have to do what Rick told her to do to stay safe. 

At least for now.

                                      ****

Courtney checked the tickets again. As she was fishing in her bag, she noticed something- or rather someone- outside. 

She saw Brenda being forced into a car. 

                                      ****

Jason hobbled into the main entrance of the hospital. He scanned the room, but he saw no Brenda. 

He pushed the door open and walked outside. The hot sun flashed down on him immediately, and he shielded his eyes to look around. 

Nothing.

He kicked the road, a feeling of defeat running through him. He was about to turn and go back inside when he heard someone cry,

"Jason!"

He spun around immediately, just catching the glimpse of Brenda driving off. Acting on impulse, Jason charged after her, but the car was already too far ahead. He hauled a cab, ordering the drive,

"Follow that car. Hurry." 

He slammed the door shut, and the driver hit the gas pedal. They were off with a huge burst of speed.

"Mr. Morgan!" a nurse yelled, running outside after the car. "Mr. Morgan, come back!" 

But it was too late. Jason had a mission, and he would accomplish it even if it took everything he had.

                                      ****

Rick practically had to drag Brenda onto the plane. 

"Jason was right behind us," Brenda kept saying. "Why don't we just wait for him?" 

"Jason has somewhere else he has to go," Rick would answer. "Let him do his job."

But Brenda was never satisfied with the answer, so she would ask again. 

Rick pushed her down into a chair, and Brenda noticed a long cut down the right side of his face from her engagement ring while she was struggling.

"Buckle your seat belt," Rick ordered, and Brenda obliged. 

"We are now preparing to take off. Remember to keep your seatbelts fastened and your chairs in the upright position until we have reached a safe cruising altitude." 

Brenda's thoughts wandered to Jason. _Was he outside the plane, wanting to get in the plane but unable to? Or maybe Rick was right, Jason wasn't following them; he just had to go somewhere for his job._

"We should have waited for Jason," Brenda mumbled low enough for Rick not to hear her. 

She wasn't buying what Rick said about Jason. Not for one second.

                                      ****

Jason jumped outside the car, paid the driver with the little money he had on hand, and used his crutches to help him get over to a large plane in the distance.

"Excuse me, sir. You can't go any closer. The plane is about to take off." A woman working with the airplane ran up to him, blocking him from going any farther. 

"I need to see someone on that plane. It's urgent." 

"I'm sorry, but Mr. Lansing has requested that no one disturb him or his passenger until they land."

"It's urgent," Jason protested. 

"You would be able to catch them when they land," the woman said as if the close the deal, but Jason wasn't ready to let her go.

"Well, where are they landing?"

"I'm sorry, but that information is classified." 

Jason didn't know what he was doing, what he was thinking, or anything. All he knew was he had to get to Brenda. Sonny's warning kept running through his head.

"He's planning something, and I want to figure it out before he can act on it."

Jason would do anything at the moment to get onto that plane before it took off. Even what he did.

"How classified is that information?" he asked. Even with the crutches, he could reach into his jacket for his gun. And that is what he did. He held the cold, black gun up to the woman's side.

"Sir, I," the woman began to shake violently, but Jason showed not pity toward her at all.

"Just tell me where the plane is heading," he whispered deadly in her ear.

"They're…. they're going," her voice trembled. "To a Port Charles. It's at-"

"I know where it's at," Jason said. He moved the gun about an inch away but still had it ready. Rick was the only _idiot_ that would take a captive back to their hometown. "Don't tell anyone about this." The gun left the woman's side. 

And Jason was off on his crutches to go catch a flight back to Port Charles. For a moment Jason considered calling Sonny, but he decided against it. Sonny didn't need to worry about things he couldn't prevent. He was off again, back to Port Charles.

But, what Jason didn't know was that his gun lay useless on the ground where he had taken it out before.

**A/N** Please, if you are reading this, take the time to review. I hope this tended to need for Brazen for now, but don't worry, more Brazen is coming up and it'll be "closer". Anyways, I hope you are still enjoying. NOTE: If you feel like instant messaging me, my screen name changed to NaRaToR7 


	18. Airplanes

**Chapter 17: Airplanes **

Carly walked into the hospital room, the sun shining brightly through an open window. 

"Hey, how are you feeling today?"

Sonny's eyes flashed up to her for a moment, the back out the window. "I'd be better if I could get out of here."

Carly grinned. "I am just making sure that you will be fine and stay fine." 

There was a long, steady creak behind them, and the door opened again.  Courtney walked into the room.

"Hey, Sonny. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine."

They stood there for a minute, and then Courtney said, "Carly, can I talk to you for a minute outside?" 

"Sure," Carly answered, caught a little offhand. The two walked out of the room.

                                      ****

Jason sat uneasily in the airplane chair. Maybe it was because his thoughts kept turning to images of Brenda being tortured by Rick- this stuff gets to people after a while.  He had felt angry plenty of times in his life, and this was moving up the charts like lightning to the time he was the angriest. He wanted nothing more then to run to Rick, hit him upside the head, and choke him, watching his last breaths leave him.

But he was in a slight disadvantage. He was fresh out the hospital, still weak but just as determined. Not to mention he was on crutches and was completely useless without them. Another image of Brenda flashed into his mind. Rick slow cut her throat with a knife as her choked her. Brenda gave a small whimper and collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

He jerked his head away from his thoughts and stared hopelessly out the window. But the thought of Brenda returned, and Jason gave up on all hope of relaxing.

                                      ****

Brenda stared out the window. She had never thought about being kidnapped while at the hospital, but, now that it had happened because she was definitely being kidnapped, she froze. Rick had never seemed the kidnapping type to her, but maybe she just couldn't judge people well.

But, no matter how hard she tried to concentrate on her situation, her thoughts always drifted to Jason. When boarding the plane, she had seen many security men, almost all of them with guns. She knew she was just jumping to conclusions, but she couldn't help worry.

"We're landing," Rick's gruff voice interrupted her thoughts. 

Another vision of Jason being tragically shot and falling to the ground raced through her head. She nodded to show she acknowledged Rick's comment but did nothing verbally.

"That means get off," Rick said through gritted teeth, grabbing Brenda gruffly by the arm once again.  Luckily, Brenda's seat belt stopped her from going slamming into the ceiling, and Rick's grip loosened until he let go.

Brenda slowly stood up, and Rick said, in the most pleasant tone he could muster, "Ladies first."

Brenda wanted to reply, "Well then why aren't you going?" But for once, she held her tongue.

She held her head high with confidence she didn't feel and kept her face solemn to show Rick that she wasn't afraid of anything he could or was going to do. Inside, her heart was thumping so madly that Brenda thought it was going to stop at any minute. She gulped as she stepped off the plane, Rick right behind her.

                                      ****

A young blonde was sitting next to Jason, and he couldn't help but notice her look up from her book to peer at him every now and then. After a few stares, she finally asked,

"Are you alright? You look troubled."

Jason looked up from the window. Had he really looked that upset? "I'm fine," he replied, hoping that now he would be left alone.

"What happened to your foot?" the woman asked. 

"I broke it."

The woman laughed. It was a rich, hearty laugh. "I know that, but do you want to tell me how you broke it?"

Jason just continued looking at her, his glare not softening even though the woman was beginning to feel more comfortable around him.

"Okay," she said. "I guess you don't. I'm Claudia." She stuck her hand out.

"Jason." He grasped her hand and shook it briefly. 

"Nice to meet you, Jason," Claudia said. "And I know what your problem is."

Jason only gaped at the woman. They had only just learned each other's names, and now she was claiming to understand his life's problems? 

"Well," Jason said. "What is it? I would actually like to know myself."

Another laugh. "Your problem is simple. You, Jason, are in love."

Jason suddenly coughed. He didn't do it on purpose; it just happened. He was in love?

"What?" he managed to gasp.

Claudia's smile grew larger, revealing pearly white teeth. "You're in love," she repeated.

Jason's eyes grew wide. He was not in love. It was absurd. Then he remembered something. _Yes, yes you are in love. You love Courtney. _He could have hit himself. When she mentioned love, his thoughts automatically went to Brenda-, which was stupid now that he thought about it.

Changing the subject, he said, "So, why are you going to Port Charles?"

"I am meeting a business associate. His name is Rob or Ricky or something, I can't remember," Claudia answered brightly.  

Before she could ask Jason what he was doing, the captain came over the intercom,

"We are now reaching our destination. Please keep your seatbelts buckled, and we should be landing in Port Charles in a few moments."

Jason turned back away from Claudia, looking out the window and watching the land come closer. He heart began racing again, thinking of Brenda.

The woman talked a little more about her business and her family, but Jason concentrated on the plane. Once the plane landed, Jason jumped out of his seat, mumbled a good-bye, and ran down the aisle, his crutches slipping on the way down.

Claudia stayed behind and only grinned, her eyes following Jason down the plane. "Jason Morgan," she said, laughing slightly to herself. "Sonny Corinthos's hit man. Rick's told me all about you. Too bad Rick gave me special plans to 'finish' you off because you're kind of cute."

She picked up her bags and headed off the plane, right behind Jason.

                                      ****

Rick stuffed Brenda into a car once again, and they sped down the street. Brenda looked out the window and realized,

"Are we in Port Charles?"

Rick chose to "not hear" Brenda's question and just stared out his own window. But Brenda answered her own question. This was Port Charles.

After fifteen minutes, the car stopped, and Rick got out, pulling Brenda out with him. He pushed her into the ground, and the car drove off.

"That's _it_," he said, sounding murderous. "I've had enough of you." He reached into his jacket.

                                      ****

Jason had no clue where he was supposed to go now, and he had no clue who could tell him. He searched the airport for Brenda, Rick, or anyone who looked suspicious. He cell phone rang.

"Who is it?" 

"Jason Morgan," Rick's voice said in fake cheerfulness on the other line. "Good to hear your voice."

"Rick, who the hell do you think you are?"

"I thought you hated her, Jason. Why would you care what I did to her?"

Jason knew immediately who he was talking about.

"Rick, don't do it," Jason replied, trying to sound sure of himself to convince Rick. 

"You know what? This really isn't too much fun for me," Rick said slyly. Jason heard muffling in the background, which he took for Brenda. Then there was a yelp and the sound of metal clinking. 

"I'll tell you where I am, and I'll give you three minutes to get here, starting now."

Once Jason had to location, he took off. What he didn't know was Claudia, armed, was following him, and Rick had everything planned to go just the way he wanted.

**A/N** Okay, I want to know what you think of this chapter, so please review. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, but the only problem is I have no clue what to write for the next chapter. Uh oh! 

Please review!


	19. Time's Up

**Chapter 18: Time's Up**

          "Looks like your knight in shining armor isn't coming," Rick observed smugly. Brenda looked up at him, her lip swollen and bleeding with a bruise forming over her left eye.

          "He'll be here," Brenda said confidently. She never wanted anyone so much in her life to come. She didn't care if she had to be the weak, delicate maiden that was rescued; she just wanted to get out of here.

          Rick snickered as if to say: you go ahead and believe that.

                                                ****

          Jason found a deserted taxi in the street of the airport. He hobbled over and slid into the driver's seat, throwing his crutches on the seat next to him. To his luck, the driver had left the keys in the car. He started the ignition, and slammed on the gas.

                                                ****

          "His three minutes are up, my dear," Rick announced happily. He seemed like a toddler who had just gotten a lollypop. He walked over to her. 

          Brenda wanted so much just to slap him straight across the face, but she couldn't because her hands were tied behind her back. Rick cupped her face with his hand. She wanted to spit on it. A grin formed on Rick's face.

          "There's no use in resisting, it will only make it more painful."

          Brenda was fed up. Without thinking, she bite Rick's outstretched hand. She let her teeth sink into his flesh as help yelped in pain. She only wished that she could do more to hurt him. She heard screeching in the background, like a car, and she prayed that it was someone to help her, mainly Jason.

          Rick eventually pulled his hand away, and it was bleeding freely now.

          "You'll wish you never did that, you little bitch." 

          "You will wish that you had never came to Port Charles, Rick, but I think I would still rather be in my position then yours," she remarked, trying to make herself feel braver.

          Rick turned around, hearing the sound in the background. Brenda desperately tried to get the ropes bearing her hands together untied, but she couldn't.

          "Shit," she whispered. She looked up, finding a taxicab driving up to them, followed by another white car.

          _God_, Brenda thought, _let that be Jason_.

          Rick reached into his jacket again, and this time Brenda saw him remove the gun she had seen earlier that day. Now she wished that it wasn't Jason for his own safety. 

          As the taxi neared, Rick shot the gun, shattering one of the windows of the car. The car continued to drive, and Brenda figured that the driver was still all right. The car swerved near them and parked right in front of her.

          **BAM.**

          Rick fired another shot. He was determined to kill this person even though he didn't know who it was. 

**       BAM. **

          A back window shattered. Brenda's prayers vanished. The person who was driving the car surely had to be dead by now. The second white car drove up, but Rick did nothing to it.

          Out stepped a blonde dressed in very flashy black clothes. Brenda had never seen this woman before, but she could already tell she bad news. Rick reloaded his gun. 

          "Claudia," he said normally. It was as if it was no big deal firing a gun at an oncoming car.  
  
  


          "Rick."

          "You were supposed to have him killed _before_ he could get here," Rick growled, slightly agitated. He shrugged. "No matter, I will finish your job for you.

          The door of the taxi opened, and out stepped Jason. His face was smashed on one side, but he didn't appear to be shot. He limped out into the open without his crutches.

          "Jason Morgan, welcome." 

          "Glad to be here," Jason answered sarcastically.

          "See, Claudia?" Rick said. "It is so easy to kill our Mr. Morgan here, all I have to do is take one shot, then take care of his girlfriend here." 

          Claudia had a gun now. Brenda made eye contact his Jason, her eyes yelling to him: TAKE OUT YOUR GUN!

          Jason reached into his pocket, but his gun wasn't there. He froze, tensing up.

          "Shit," he mumbled to himself.

          "Missing your gun?" Rick asked, laughing. "Claudia, here, took care of it." 

          Rick took a gun from Claudia's hand and held it up, teasing Jason. "Do you want it, Jason? You can come and get it." Jason didn't move.  

          He pointed this gun to Brenda. "Or would you rather have her die?"

          He pulled Brenda up, jerking her violently. His voice rose. "DO YOU WANT HER TO DIE OR NOT?"

          Jason's eyes flashed. "Leave her out of this. What do you want with her?"

          Rick pressed the gun up against Brenda's scalp. "The same thing you want with her. I a little hot pepper here and there," He kissed Brenda on the cheek, and she grimaced. "Then get rid of her. Only I will be getting rid of her permanently."

          He whispered in Brenda's ear. "What do you say about that, sweet heart?" 

          "I am not your sweet heart," she said angrily. "And I never will be." 

          "That's right," Rick agreed. He pulled back the trigger. Brenda's eyes shut immediately. 

          "Don't!" Jason moved forward, but Claudia raised her gun higher at him.

          The bullet zipped past Brenda's ear. 

          "How did you like that, Brenda?" Rick whispered again. "You want another one, but this time on target?"

          Brenda shook her head, tears flowing down her face.

          "No," she sobbed. "No." 

          There was a smack of metal behind them, and Rick's head turned like an owl's. Jason has a crowbar in his hands, and the blonde haired woman was now lying to the ground, blood oozing out of her head. Jason now held her gun.

          "Let her go," he ordered. 

          "I can kill her faster then you can aim your gun," Rick said. "I believe I'd rather take my chances." He raised Brenda higher. "Then I'll kill you, and everyone will just think that you killed Brenda. How do you like that, Brenda?"

          He turned back to her. "Are you ready to feel the pure venom of Sonny Corinthos? It's his fault you're here. If it weren't for him, you wouldn't be dieing today." 

          Brenda couldn't deny it because she didn't know what she could say that would help her live. He held the gun to her head, ready to shoot, but suddenly he pointed his gun a new direction, toward Jason. 

          **BAM.**

          Brenda's head turned, and she saw Jason on the ground.

          "Jason!" she screamed. 

          "What's the matter, Brenda? Are you sad that your husband died? You don't love him, so what is he worth to you? He's just a _killer_. A ruthless, heartless _killer_. He doesn't care about you one damn bit."

          "You know nothing about Jason," Brenda whimpered. 

          "I'm sorry to do this to you, Brenda, but I have to. If I don't, you'll let everyone know that I killed Jason," Brenda choked on her tears. "And we can't have that. But, don't worry, you'll be missed greatly."

          The gun pointed back to her. 

          "Don't," she cried. "Don't." 

          "I have to."

          Brenda sniffled. She never thought of dieing like this. A wicked smile was on Rick's face. 

          **BAM.**

          Rick fell to the ground.

          **BAM.**

          He let out a squeal.

          **BAM. **

          Brenda scrambled away from Rick. Blood dripped down from his side, and Brenda saw several bullet wounds. Tears fell down her face. She saw another gun be shoved to the ground, and she felt the arms of a leather jacket wrapped around her.

          **A/N** Awww. It ended happily- for now. Some serious Brazen action in the next chapter, so review to get it up faster!!! I hope you enjoyed, and I hope you review! 

          If you are reading this, review!


	20. One Night

            **Chapter 19: One Night**

          The world seemed to rush around Brenda. Tears continued to run down her face unstoppably. 

          A familiar voice whispered in her ear, "You're okay, Brenda. You're okay." 

          Slowly, Brenda felt herself being lifted up. Jason winced at the pain in his leg as Brenda collapsed on top of him. She wrapped her arms around his body and pressed her face into his shoulder, suppressing her cries. 

          "Thank you, thank you," she kept sobbing. Jason rubbed her back as he looked over at Rick. His chest was rising, so he was still breathing; but he wouldn't be alive much longer. Brenda stopped crying after a while, and the two of them just stood there, holding each other. Brenda backed away from Jason.

          "Are you okay?" she asked. Jason nodded.

          "How about you?"

          "I'm fine." 

          "What happened to your face?" Jason asked. He looked over a Rick for a minute. "Did he-"

          "I'm fine," Brenda insisted, not wanting to talk about it. And Jason stopped pressing her, sensing her urge to close the subject. 

          "Let's go," he said.

          Brenda nodded. She wiped away the tear streaks from her face. "Are we going home?" she asked.

          "Yeah, we're finally going home."

                                                          ****

          Brenda suddenly felt exhausted as she was in the elevator with Jason, traveling up to the penthouse.

          The elevator stepped, and they both stepped out, Jason now using his crutches.

          Brenda stopped in front of the door, suddenly feeling awkward. "I would go home with Jax," Brenda said. "But, I…"

          "You can stay here," Jason said. 

          "Thanks, but I will actually go home tomorrow."

          "That's fine."

          Jason walked inside and collapsed in a chair. He closed his eyes and just soaked up the presence of being home. Brenda stood uncomfortably watching him.

          "You should probably fix your face."

          Jason's eyes opened, and he stood up. 

          "No," Brenda said. "I'll do it for you. You can just sit down." She walked off and returned a few minutes later with a wet towel. She sat down on the arm of the chair and gently cleaned off the dried blood on Jason's face.

          Immediately, Jason felt uncomfortable, and he looked the other direction. He turned back to Brenda and looked at her. She avoided his glance for a moment, but then she looked at him. She sat the towel down in her lap, not taking her eyes off Jason. 

          "You saved my life," Brenda whispered.

          "I know," Jason replied stupidly. 

          "Thank you."

          "Welcome."

          Silence. The two didn't stop looking at each other, even though the situation was extremely awkward. Brenda laid her head down on Jason's shoulder. He listened to her the breathing, and it comforted him. 

          The phone rang, and Jason moved forward to get it. 

          "Don't get it," Brenda whispered.

          "I was-"

          Brenda pressed her fingers on Jason's lips, and images of their first kiss flew into mind. 

          "Okay, I won't get the phone," Jason agreed.

          "Thanks." 

          Their faces were inches away, just as they had been on the island, and Jason felt scared, for once, of what could or was going to happen.

          "Brenda…"

          "Shh."

          She leaned in closer to him, pressing against his chest. Slowly, her lips moved closer to his, and he felt the pressure from her.

          Don't think, Jason told himself, just go. Thinking always gets you in trouble. 

          He wrapped his arms around Brenda's back, and he felt her muscles tense. There was heat, each of the pressing for more. Hunger and sweet pain. Jason felt Brenda's tongue enter his mouth, and he didn't resist.

          He began to feel lightheaded, but he didn't stop. He couldn't stop. He didn't want to stop.

          Brenda's lips parted his for a moment, and she moaned,

          "Jason." 

          Jason leaned closer to her and captured her lips once again. Voices screamed inside his head,

          STOP! STOP! STOP!

          Jason blocked them out though. He had to finish what he started.

                                                ****

          Brenda was a shocked as Jason was. She didn't expect any of this to happen, but it did. She felt the passion behind herself and Jason. 

          "Jason," she moaned. 

          Jason pulled her back to him, and they continued. The parted again, and Jason stared at her. For the first time, Brenda realized how his eyes seemed to sparkle. She smiled. 

          Jason kissed her forehead, the in between her eyes, then her lips once again. Slowly, Brenda arms reach to his back, to the edge of his shirt. She began to pull it up, and then off his head.

          She pressed against the lips once again, the heat remaining. Abruptly, Jason pulled away, staring at her. 

          "We can't do this, Brenda," Jason said. Brenda closed her eyes in frustration and let out a soft sort.

          "God…" she mumbled.

          "We can't, Brenda. It's a mistake."

          Brenda nodded. "Yeah, it is a mistake."

          Jason was surprised that she agreed so easily. "But," Brenda continued. "Life's made from mistakes, and we have to learn from them." 

          Brenda knocked Jason to the ground, with her falling on top of him.

          "Brenda…"

          "Just," she said breathlessly. "Just for tonight. This is what I really need right now."

          Jason knew how absurd this sounded, but he couldn't help but feel the same way.

          "Brenda…"

          "Jason, please."

          "Fine, okay. _Just_ for tonight."

          "Thank you. Where did we leave off?" she asked seductively. She leaned back in, and their lips met once again.

          What they didn't know was that Carly stood in the doorway, seeing everything that was going on.
    
    _I know you're home,_
    
    _You left your light on._
    
    _You know I'm here._
    
    _The night is thin._
    
    _I know you're alone._
    
    _I watched the car leave._
    
    _Your lover is gone._
    
    _Let me in._
    
                                                                              _         Open your back door,_
    
    _I just need to touch you once more._
    
    _I want to come over._
    
    _To hell with the consequence._
    
    _You told me you love me,_
    
    _That's all I believe._
    
    _I want to come over._
    
    _It's a need I can't explain._
    
    _To see you again,_
    
    _I want to come over._
    
    _I know your friend_
    
    _You told her about me_
    
    _She filled you with fear_
    
    _Some kind of sin_
    
    _How can you turn?_
    
    _Denying the fire._
    
    _Lover, I burn_
    
    _Let me in._
    
    _                                                                                      Open your back door,_
    
    _I just need to touch you once more._
    
    _I want to come over._
    
    _To hell with the consequence._
    
    _You told me you love me,_
    
    _That's all I believe._
    
    _I want to come over._
    
    _It's a need I can't explain._
    
    _To see you again,_
    
    _I want to come over._
    
    _I know you're confused,_
    
    _I know that you're shaken._
    
    _You think we'll be lost._
    
    _Once we begin,_
    
    _I know your weak._
    
    _I know that you want me,_
    
    _Lover, don't speak._
    
    _Let me in._
    
    _                                                                                       Open your back door,_
    
    _I just need to touch you once more._
    
    _I want to come over._
    
    _To hell with the consequence._
    
    _You told me you love me,_
    
    _That's all I believe._
    
    _I want to come over._
    
    _It's a need I can't explain._
    
    _To see you again,_
    
    _I want to come over._

          A/N I know this chapter was just mainly that one thing, but I figured you would like it. Now please review, and let me know what you think. Will it be just be one night, and will the morning after be a happy one? Send it your reviews, and you'll find out faster.


	21. The Morning After

**Chapter 20: The Morning After**

          Carly gawked at Jason and Brenda, eyes widening at the sight. A small croak escaped her throat. She quickly remembered that she was going to witness first hand their passion, and she slipped out the door, unnoticed. 

          She leaned up against the wall, the image of what she just saw repeating itself through her head. 

          "Holy shit," she muttered. 

                                                **** 

          Jason groaned; he had an awful headache. He barely remembered heading to bed last night. He rolled over, running into something. His eyes soared open, and the sight of an unclothed Brenda lying in his bed, greeted him. 

          "Oh shit," he whispered. He heaved himself out of bed, threw some clothes on, and grabbed his crutches. "Oh shit," he repeated.

          He remembered everything perfectly from last night. 

          _"We can't, Brenda. It's a mistake."_

_          "Yeah, it is a mistake. But, life's made from mistakes, and we have to learn from them."_

_          "Brenda…"_

_          "Just…..just for tonight. This is what I really need right now. Jason, please."_

_          "Fine, okay. Just for tonight."_

          Jason rubbed his hands over his face as he assessed the situation. He slept with Brenda. Brenda was now where he lived. There was no escaping this situation, or Brenda. He had to get out. Get out and think.

          He walked out of his room, shutting the door behind him. 

          Brenda awoke to the sound of the door closing. She found herself in bed-Jason's bed-, without any clothes on. She sighed. Jason was gone now. She couldn't tell if this was good or bad. All she knew is that he wasn't there next to her, and he probably wasn't feeling what she was.

                                                ****

          Courtney worked the morning shift at Kelly's serving coffee to all the early birds of Port Charles. She had only just been able to take a break, getting herself something to drink. Someone walked by her,

          A bell dinged as another person walked inside. 

          Courtney sighed, sat her cup down, and went to go take another order.

          "What can I get you today?" Courtney asked automatically, taking out her ordering pad and a pen.

          "Courtney," Jason said. "Don't." 

          Jason didn't know what he wanted from her exactly. He loved her. He just needed her right now, without her knowing about the night. He just wanted……something.

          Courtney studied Jason for a moment. "What are you doing here?" she asked. She had to force herself not to jump into his arms, just stay where she was.

          Jason ran his hand over his face. "I just wanted to take a walk."

          "Okay," Courtney said, sticking her order pad back in her pocket. "Well, if you want to order something, let me know." 

          She headed back over to the counter, but someone stopped her. Carly had come upstairs from her club.

          "Were you talking to Jason?" she asked.

          "Yeah, why?" 

          "Are you mad?" Carly whispered, assuming Jason had informed her about his last night's events.

          "Mad about what?"

          Carly realized that he hadn't told Courtney about his "adventure" with Brenda last night.

          "Oh, nothing. Nothing, I'll just let you go."

          "Okay…" Courtney said, not truly believing Carly. "I'll see you." 

          Carly let out a vicious sigh. She walked over to Jason and sat in front of him.

          "Are you here to tell Courtney?" Carly asked right off the back.

          Jason looked up at her. "What?" he gaped at her. She didn't know. She couldn't know.

          "You know perfectly well what I am talking about, Jason Morgan. Courtney told me that you were getting a plane ride back home; so I went to visit you, but instead I found you and Brenda doing something that I will never be able to forget."

          Jason shut his eyes. Carly knew. "Did you tell Courtney?"

          "No," Carly seemed to regret not telling her. "I was hoping you would actually tell her yourself."

          "Carly what am I supposed to say. 'Hi there, Courtney. Just came to tell you that Brenda and I had sex last night'?" he hissed. 

          "You tell her the truth, even if it comes to using those exact words." Carly stood up, slammed the chair, and stormed out.

          Jason pounded his fist on the table. He was in a whole pile of crap.

                                                ****

          Brenda sat, knees hugged against her. She stayed at Jason's, not wanting to go find Jax at the moment. She didn't know where to go now. Jason was obviously upset at her, and if Jax found out about what she did, she'd have nowhere to go. And God, she didn't want to think of Carly, Courtney, or Sonny finding out. Another sigh.

          The door behind her opened, but she didn't look up. She wanted to see Jason, but she didn't. 

          "What are you still doing here?' Jason asked, throwing his jacket down. Brenda looked up. 

          How was she supposed to answer that question? 

          She shrugged. "I could be gone now, but someone wasn't there this morning. Where were you?"

          Did she expect him to answer that question?

          "I had somewhere important to be," Jason answered. "Not that it is any of your business."

          Brenda groaned. "Not this again."

          Jason's eyebrows rose. "Not what?"

          "This 'I hate Brenda so much' kid grudge thing. You are acting like a little child in kindergarten."

          "Brenda, kindergartners do not do what we did last night." He walked off. 

          "No, but kindergartners talk about things they feel about."

          "I have to disagree with that, but what's there to talk about?" Jason shouted from a room. Brenda threw her arms into the air.

          "There's a lot to talk about." 

          Jason opened the door. "No, Brenda there isn't. It's simple: Just forget about last night. I don't know what I was thinking; it was stupid."

          His words felt like a slap in the face, a wake up call. Jason continued,

          "We hate each other, and we are better off at that. So, go home to your fiancée, forget about me, and move on with your damn life. Go get rich, have a million kids, and leave me the hell alone. I cannot have you screwing my life whenever you feel like it. Just go away." 

          With that, he slammed the door shut. Brenda felt tears rushing to her eyes, but she pushed them away.

          "Fine!" she shouted. "I will!" She marched over to the door. "Screw you, Jason!"

          She slammed the door shut.

          Jason walked out of his room again, finding that Brenda had really left. He shook his head. This was what was best. It was just that one night, and this was the hell that happened afterward. This was the way things were supposed to be.

          "Good for Brenda," Jason said, kicking the wall. He paused. "Bad for me."

                                                ****

          "In the top news this evening, a local, Rick Lansing, was found in a deserted parking lot with several gunshot wounds. He was taken into immediate surgery, and we have received information that he is still alive but in critical condition. The doctors predict it will be a tough fight, but he will make it. Also in this case, other blood was found on the pavement. It has gone to labs for testing to find out who was also there, and perhaps the shooter."

          **A/N** De ja vu, huh? Jason and Brenda at another murder scene! Now if you are reading this, please review. I would really like to know what you think of all of this. So, do not hesitate to review.


	22. Life’s a Hell of a Highway

Chapter 21: Life's a Hell of a Highway 

          Courtney breathed sigh. She took off her apron a few minutes before her shift ended. She couldn't help but think about how weird Carly had acted earlier. Carly had asked if she was upset. What could she have been upset about?

          Curiosity getting the better of her, she headed downstairs to the club, finding Carly viewing over paperwork.

          "Hey Courtney," Carly greeted, putting the papers down. She walked over to her. "Are you okay?"

          "I'm good," Courtney answered. "Why wouldn't I be?"

            "No reason," Carly dismissed. "I was just…"

          "Just what?"

          Carly looked up at Courtney. "I'm sorry, but there's something you really need to know, Courtney." 

                                                ****

          You did the right thing, Jason kept repeating inside his head. It's Brenda, for God's sake. Last night was…..nothing. Absolutely nothing.

          But it was a nothing that he couldn't get out of his mind. No matter how much he beat himself up about it, he still got a thrill from the night before.  He never thought he would find himself waking up next to Brenda. 

          He shook his head._ It was just one night- she said so herself, and so did you. And that one night is over. You don't love Brenda._

During his thoughts, the door opened.

          "Jason?

          Jason leaped out of his chair, seeing Sonny in his door way. "Are you okay?" Jason asked.

          "I could ask you the same. When did you get back?" 

          "Um……late last night. I thought you'd be in the hospital, and I'd come in the morning." He ran his hand up his forehead; he had an awful headache.

          "I left this morning, and you weren't here."

          "Oh, I went to find Carly," he lied. 

          "I haven't seen her today. Did you find her?"

          "Yeah, she was working on the club. She might still be there, I don't know."  

          Sonny nodded. "So, you probably haven't seen the news, have you?"

          "What happened on the news?"

          "Some idiot shot Rick Lansing, and they left a way to be traced." Jason's eyes flashed. "Not to worry, you aren't a suspect this time. But, hell, I doubt anyone will be able to trace the clues to the person."

          "Rick's dead?" Jason questioned, trying to act as if this was new information.

          "Oh no, he's in the hospital. Someone saw him, but that's what I want to tell you about. Rick Lansing has a plot to do something, but someone got to him before he could act any further."

          "Any further? What has he done yet?" 

          Sonny's eyes darkened. "The bastard took one shot," he mumbled.

          "At who?" 

          "The one time I was unprotected…"

          "Rick shot you?"

                                                ****

          Brenda hesitated before knocking.

          _Just go in. Just go in._ She raised a hand and knocked slowly on the door three times. Only a second later the door flew open.

          "Brenda," Jax breathed.

          She faked a smile. "Hi."

          He grabbed her, pressing her face into his shoulder. He lifted her off her feet and slowly spun her around.

          "Oh god…." He breathed in her scent. "I thought you were dead."

          "I'm fine, Jax." 

          "I'm glad." He kissed her on the cheek. Brenda smiled.

          "I'm glad to be back," she said. She wanted so badly to focus on Jax, the love of her life, but her mind kept jumping to Jason and last night.

 For a minute, she considered actually telling Jax about where she was last night, but no. Jax didn't need to fret about things that only happened one time.

                                       ****

There was a knock on Jason's door before Sonny could say anymore. He walked over to the door and found Carly outside.

"Jason," she said coldly, but Sonny took no notice to her less then pleasant greeting. She walked further inside and let out a deep sigh.

"Sonny, I told you I didn't want you leaving the hospital," she complained. 

"Carly, I'm fine. There's just something that needs to be taken care of." He turned back to Jason. "I'll get back to you about that thing. Come on, Carly, let's head home." 

"Was Jason talking to you about Brenda?" Carly asked innocently. Her eyes gave a bitter glance toward Jason, and Jason wished she had left. She obviously thought Sonny should know.

"No. Is there something to tell about Brenda?" Sonny asked. He eyes sunk into Jason's. Those eyes Jason couldn't lie to unless he had to.

"She was just over last night."

"She was getting her things?"

"Yeah. Yeah she was."

"Good, so you got the annulment?" 

Jason cleared his throat. "Yeah, we got it."  _Why did he have to lie?_

"Good," Sonny said again. He began to walk out.

"Sonny," Carly said. "I'll catch up with you in a minute. I need to talk to Jason for a minute."

The door shut, and Carly faced on Jason. She started to say something, but she stopped herself in the middle. After a minute of trying to calm herself down she said,

"You didn't tell Courtney? God, Jason! She has a right to know. I tried to ask her about it, but she was completely clueless. When the hell do you plan on telling her?"

"I know she deserves to know, and I will tell her; but why do you want Sonny to know so badly? He used to be with Brenda. Do you know how weird it would be for him to know….."

"Know what, Jason? That you slept with that, that…." Jason didn't allow her to finish with her nasty name for Brenda. 

"You're just holding an old grudge on Brenda, Carly. Just drop it, you have no reason to hate her."

"You're starting to sound just like her, Jason. Don't you get it? She's too complicated to be with. You deserve so much better then her, like Courtney," she added, "If she'll ever forgive you."

"I'm not with Brenda. It was just one night. _Just that one night when I wasn't thinking straight. _She almost died yesterday, and she was upset." 

"I don't care if she almost died! That is not an excuse. And when Brenda says one night," Carly retorted. "Don't believe her. She'll be back on your doorstep tonight acting pitiful and pleading for more."

"Carly, go home," Jason said, sick of her two sense comments. "Go home and mind your own damn business."

Carly considered it for a minute. "I'll go home if you make me one promise," Carly said. Jason was about to object, but Carly continued, "Go talk to Courtney. Will you?"

"Yes, fine. Okay? I'll go talk to her right now. And you can leave too." Jason picked up his coat and left. 

                                       ****

          Courtney was the only one left a Kelly's. She cleaned up the place slightly. She picked up her coat and left, locking the door behind her. She began to walk home.

          "Courtney."

          She turned, and she saw Jason leaning up against a brick wall waiting for her.

          "What do you want?" she asked as if she was disgusted at his presence. 

"Courtney, there's something I need to tell you."

"Really?" Courtney asked, folding her arms. "Jason, don't waste your breath on me, besides I'm nothing, right? I already know, so save your pity for Brenda." She spat out the name.

"How do you know?" Jason inquired quietly. Tears silently fell down Courtney's face.

"Carly told me earlier today," she said, brushing the tears away. "And I didn't believe it. But then I realized. She was your damn wife, how could there be nothing? I thought the marriage was just because of the trial, but no, you proved me wrong."

"I don't love her Courtney. I love you." He took a step closer to her, but she moved back.

"That's a shit of a lie if I ever heard one."

"Courtney," Jason pleaded. "If I could go back in time, I wouldn't have done it. It was just a huge, stupid mistake."

"Yeah, if I could go back in time, I would have prevented myself from ever laying eyes on you or meeting you. You're just a pig, claiming to love people but sleeping with others. Right?"

Jason stared, at a loss from words. He didn't know what to say that could make this any better.

"That's what I thought," Courtney said, turning away and beginning to walk again.

Jason jogged after her. "Courtney, wait." He put his hand on her shoulder, but she turned sharply, giving him a hard, swift slap across his cheek.

"Screw you, Jason."  And she walked off, leaving Jason alone.

"God……" he muttered. "Life's a hell of a ride."

**A/N** Please review and let me know what you think, and if you are a Journey fan and upset to see the fight between Jason and Courtney, e-mail me at KuteKaren66@alltel.net - I have something to say about it. Now updating wise, I might be a little slower because I've gotten sick-again. I have some crap that lowers my immune system, so I keep catching all this….stuff. Hope you enjoyed.

Please review!


	23. Escaped Words

       Chapter 22: Escaped Words 

          Brenda crept out into the darkness of the house, careful not to wake Jax. She threw a coat over her clothes and, as quietly as she could, opened the door. The wind whipped her in the face and blew its hardest, as if it was trying to prevent her from leaving.

          "I have to go," Brenda said in an undertone to herself. "I have to see Jason."

                                                ****

          Jason followed Courtney to the loft, moving as fast as he could on crutches, but Courtney still beat him there and already had her door locked to prevent him from just entering.

          "Shit," Jason mumbled, jiggling the doorknob. He knocked on the door. "Courtney, please, just let me explain," he shouted. No answer. "Courtney, come on." 

          After a few minutes of talking to the door, Jason fished his cell phone out of his jacket pocket and dialed Courtney's home number.

          "I'm sorry," an automated voice spoke. "But the number you have dialed is out of service or unable to be reached. Please check your number and try again."

          "Damn it," Jason cursed. Courtney must have unplugged her phone or something. He leaned against the door.

          "Courtney," he said, hoping that she could hear him. "Just listen to me. What I did with Brenda was wrong and probably my biggest mistake. But it only made me realize that I loved you even more then I ever could." 

          The door opened suddenly, and Jason fell slightly forward. Courtney stood in front of him, her tear-streaked face unpleasantly glaring at him.

          "That is the worst excuse there is," she cracked. "You know, I don't think I have ever felt this betrayed before in my life."

          Jason's head hung low. "I know, but I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking."

          "I do," Courtney said, beginning to cry again. "You were thinking of Brenda."

          She shut the door, leaving Jason in the hallway alone. He leaned back against the wall and slid down slowly to the floor.

          "Shit," he mumbled again.

                                                ****

          Brenda sat at Jason's door, waiting for him to return home. She had considered just going inside, but she figured her and Jason were on such loose terms already that she shouldn't push things any further. She glanced down at her hand and the sparkle of her engagement from the light caught her eye.

          She slowly removed the ring off her finger and studied it. It was probably the possession that she had ever wanted most in her life for a long time, but she wasn't satisfied with it. 

This was the ring that was supposed to end her hell of a life and begin her romantic fairy tale. This was the ring that was supposed to prepare her to being bonded together with Jax for the rest of her life. This was the ring that was supposed to bring her happiness.

          She couldn't do it. She couldn't marry Jax. She didn't want to be wearing this ring. She wasn't ready to settle down.

                                                ****

          Jason was awakened by the shouts of people off in a distance. His eyes opened, and he found himself outside of Courtney's, sitting in the hallway. Wrapped around him was one of Courtney's old blankets, and he wondered when, or if, she had come out. Also his crutches were picked up and leaned against the wall across from him. 

          He looked under Courtney's door, and, in the crack, he saw darkness. It was late, and she must have gone to bed. He gave up for the night and headed back home.

                                                ****

          Brenda had had some regrets about getting engaged to Jax, but she had never actually convinced herself that she didn't want to do it at all. And the reason, which had always been there in the back of her mind, was crystal clear. 

          She didn't end their marriage, had dreams about him, and everything. There was physical attraction, yes, but Brenda recently found herself just gaping at him and enjoy the little things about Jason, like the way his eyebrows wrinkled, or how his eyes always flashed, or even the way she just said her name.

          He made her heart race, her stomach knot up, and her voice go mute. He was the romance that she had dreamt of and waited forever for. He made her feel like she was intoxicated. He made her feel like she was on top of the world and that nothing could go wrong.

          "I love Jason," Brenda breathed. She immediately regretted saying it aloud. Saying it aloud gave her second thoughts. Yes, she and Jason had slept together, but he was with, and apparently in love with, someone else. Brenda was just the "other woman" that he would joke about with his pals when he was a married man. Then his friends wouldn't believe him, and Jason would be "the man"; they would all pat him on the back, saying "Way to go, man".

          She still couldn't help but smile. She tried to blame it on the myriad drinks she had earlier with Jax as a celebration of her return, but she knew alcohol couldn't conjure these feelings- she had to have them to begin with. 

          Half of her wanted to scramble out of here, but the other half tore at her to stay. She pulled her coat tighter over her body as shivers went up her spine. She wanted to be just someone watching in on Brenda, and not really be herself. 

          Bing.

          Brenda' head jerked up at the elevator. Someone was coming out. She watched the lights click on as the elevator came to a stop. Her breath quickened and she swallowed. 

          Jason walked out of the elevator, and his eyes fell on her.

          "How long have you been here?" he asked quietly.

          Brenda felt her cheeks grow warm, and she shrugged. "I don't know, a while."

          Jason nodded in approval, and then he asked the question Brenda hoped he wouldn't.

          "What are you doing here?" 

          Brenda stood up from the floor and shuffled her feet nervously. "I'm here because there's something I need to tell you."

          "Okay," Jason seemed satisfied with this answer.

          Brenda didn't know what to say next, so she changed the subject. "So, where were you at?"

          Jason furrowed his brow at her change of conversation. Still, he answered, "Over at Courtney's." Brenda felt her heart breaking into minute pieces.

          "Oh."

          Jason cleared his throat. "What did you want to tell me?"

          She laughed timidly. "God, this is going to sound so stupid. I can't even say it."

          "It can't be that bad, what is it?"

          Brenda didn't think. She didn't know what she was doing. It was as if someone else was controlling her body without her consent.

          "Jason, I…..I love you."
    
              She looked at Jason, and she could tell by his shocked expression that what she said was the last thing he had expected to hear.
    
    _I said I love you_
    
    _I said I care_
    
    _When I tell you I love you_
    
    _It means I always will be there_
    
    _I'll never leave you_
    
    _I ani't goin' nowhere        _
    
    _When I tell you I love you_
    
    _Cross my heart I will be there_
    
    _Open up your heart_
    
    _Don't be afraid to love again_
    
    _We can take it slow_
    
    _You should know I understand_
    
    _Baby, take your time_
    
    _And I don't care how long it takes_
    
    _'Cause I promise you, I'm here for you_
    
    _From here and now, forever girl I_
    
    _I said I love you_
    
    _I said I care_
    
    _When I tell you I love you_
    
    _It means I always will be there_
    
    _I'll never leave you_
    
    _I ani't goin' nowhere_
    
    _When I tell you I love you_
    
    _Cross my heart I will be there_
    
    _And I will be there_
    
    _(And I will be there for you)_
    
    _Forever sincere to you_
    
    _(Girl, I always care for you)_
    
    _I just wanna share my life with you_
    
    _Right here, right now forever girl I_
    
    _I said I love you_
    
    _I said I care_
    
    _When I tell you I love you_
    
    _It means I always will be there_
    
    _I'll never leave you_
    
    _I ani't goin' nowhere_
    
    _When I tell you I love you_

_Cross my heart I will be there_

**A/N** I made Brenda drunk and a little tipsy because I wasn't sure if she would normally say this. Now, I am going to say this here: do NOT act like these characters. By writing this I am not telling you to go out and have sex for "just one night" nor am I telling you to shoot someone when you get frustrated, or get drunk to drown your sorrows. These characters have all made some stupid mistakes, and I am not, in anyway, promoting what they are doing.

Okay, I got that off my back, so if you are reading this, go ahead and review.


	24. Maybe, Just Maybe

**Chapter 23: Maybe, just Maybe**

"What?" Jason held up his hand with his eyes as wide as golf balls, shaking it on his every word as he tried to understand. "You….." He snorted. "I can't even say it. . . God," he paced a short distance down the hallway. He kept mumbling to himself, sometimes his voice squeaking an octave higher. 

Brenda froze, watching Jason continue his own conversation with himself. Surprising even herself, she began to laugh thunderously. Jason halted in his tracks, looking at Brenda as if she was insane. Tears streamed down Brenda's face silently as a result of her guffawing. 

"Is this supposed to be funny?" Jason asked, gaping at her. "Because I personally see no humor in this situation."

"No, it's not funny," Brenda forced herself to stop laughing, but she still giggled. "It's just, it sounds so stupid when I say it aloud."

"So you were kidding?" 

"No. It's just, you learned this just as soon as I did." Brenda smiled at him, no longer laughing.

"You stopped laughing," Jason observed stupidly.

"It's not so funny anymore," Brenda whispered, taking a large step closer to him. She was close enough to him to hear his breathing.

"Jason," she said mellifluously. "You don't have to say anything back. I just. . ."

"Just what?"

She looked up into the eyes, feeling lightheaded and dizzy. 

"Just this."

She leaned in closer to Jason, and she felt their lips meet for a third time. But this time, Jason pulled away immediately. His eyes hardened as much as he could make them, and he looked at Brenda squarely. 

"Stop it," he ordered. "You really are screwing my life. You were just a job Brenda. We didn't marry each other because we loved each other, and those feelings were never part of the deal. And because of you, I may never have Courtney again." He paused. "I thought you loved Jax, not me."

She couldn't look at him. There was a lump in her throat, and she wished she wasn't here. She wished she hadn't done anything.

"We just had that one night. That one night is over, for good."

A door opened to their right, and Jason looked down at the floor, grimacing.

"What's going on here?" Sonny asked. "Jason?"

Jason didn't answer; he only stared guiltily at the floor. Behind Sonny, Carly emerged, and she looked displeased at Jason and Brenda.

"Brenda was just leaving," Jason mumbled.

"I thought she already had all her things," Sonny said. Brenda sighed. She hated being talked about like she wasn't in the room. 

"I just forgot something," Brenda lied, deciding to go along with Jason's excuse. "But I am going to leave now. Bye."

She pushed past Jason to get to the elevator. Before Jason could move out of her way, she brushed up against his arm. He felt like a jerk, but he didn't look at her, only listened to the door swish behind him. 

"Well, now that we have this taken care of, I am going back to bed," Carly announced. She wrapped her arms around Sonny's arm. "You coming with me?"

"No, I have to talk to Jason."

"Okay." Carly walked back inside, pausing to look at the two. She sent a look of warning at Jason before she walked inside.

"Now what was Brenda _really_ doing here?"

****

Brenda didn't want to go back to Jax, not yet at least. The truth sunk into her. She was too late; Jason was unavailable, and he made that clear tonight. She felt crushed on the inside. 

On all romance movies the woman who left the man she loved because the man loved another woman said, "That's fine. I just want you to be happy even if it isn't with me." 

Jason was probably jolly with Courtney, but Brenda wished so badly that he could be happy with her. She ruined Jason's life with something that she would look back on and laugh at many years later when she was happily married, if she ever wed. She never felt worse about herself. She was a home wrecker, the other woman that Jason would never be forgiven for.  

She gave up and returned to Jax.

****

"She just forgot something," Jason replied.

"No. No she didn't. You wouldn't have been out in the hallway with her. I can tell when you're lying, now are you going to tell me the truth?" Sonny asked.

"That is the truth, she came here to get something."

"Well, did she get what she came for?"

_No. She came for my love, but she didn't get it. _

"No. No she didn't."

Sonny pursed his lip and nodded. "Fine, anything else you want to tell me?" Sonny asked. Jason didn't say anything. Sonny didn't press any further but turned to go back inside. Before he shut the door, he muttered, 

"You know that Carly and I heard the entire conversation, don't you?" He turned back around, laughing sarcastically. "Jason, what the hell were you thinking?" he shouted. "You know what? Don' t answer that. It all makes sense now. Do you want to go through every woman in Port Charles, don't you? First Courtney then Brenda, what do you get a small glow of satisfaction from doing this? Do you love them both?"

"No." He didn't love Brenda.

"But you slept with them both, right?"

"Yes."

"You are an idiot. You are a damned idiot. And Brenda didn't screw your life, you did it to yourself."

Sonny slammed the door shut.

****

Courtney forced her eyes down at her feet as she walked inside Kelly's to get herself a cup of coffee. She walked straight to the counter a mumbled,

"I need a coffee to go."

"Courtney, hold on," a voice behind her called. Courtney kept her head down, and she felt a hand tugging on her shoulder. Courtney looked up and, seeing the depressed look on Courtney's face, Carly backed off a little.

"Courtney, you look….."

"A little worse for wear?" Courtney suggested.

"Upset," Carly corrected. "How are you feeling?"

"Been better," Courtney said, accepting a cup of coffee. "Don't know if I have been worse."

"Oh Courtney." Carly rubbed her shoulder sympathetically. 

Behind them, a bell jingled, signaling that someone new had entered Kelly's. Courtney turned her head, and she saw one of the last people she wanted to see enter Kelly's. Courtney's look of abhorrence attracted Carly's attention.

"Oh God. C'mon, Courtney, let's go downstairs. You don't have to deal with this now," Carly said, tugging at her arm to lead her downstairs.

Courtney let Carly pull her downstairs, but she never let her eyes leave Brenda. Once downstairs, Carly shoved Courtney down into a chair, ushering to her details of her opening night, which was coming up soon.

Seeing that Courtney obviously had her mind someplace, Carly sat down in front of her in another chair.

"Don't think about her," Carly said, referring to Brenda upstairs. "She's not worth your time, Courtney."

Courtney smiled. "I'm not even thinking about her," she replied, rubbing her temple. "I was just thinking that opening night is going to be really amazing."

It was not Carly's turn to smile now. "You know, you'll get through this, Courtney. Jason lo…." Carly was left hanging on her last word as the sound of clinking on the stairs told the two that a visitor was coming downstairs to see them.

"What do you want?" Carly asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Don't worry, Carly," Brenda smirked. "I'm not here to see you. I just need to talk to Courtney. Alone." 

****

Sonny took a sip of his drink, staring out the window into the slashing rain. 

Jason had to change. He couldn't stay the way he was. 

Jason had to change, and Sonny would make sure of it even if it came to him taking care of it personally. . .

**A/N** This chapter may have been a little boring, but the story is coming to a closing. And, if any of you are wondering, the story is going to be rushed a tad and ended in the next. There will be a sequel, I already know, but you have to read it to find out Jason's love. That's why I kept Ric alive- for a sequel! Please review!


	25. Three Challenging Words

**Chapter 24: Three Challenging Words**

          Jason slammed the phone back down, picked it up again, and pressed the redial button. The same happened, the phone rang for a while and the message machine played.

          "It's me again," Jason said, starting to feel stupid for calling so many times. "I just wanted to talk to you." He was feeling stupider by the minute.  "I'll just see you later."

          Jason hung up the phone again, and he decided he'd try his luck over at Kelly's with Courtney. Then he could try Sonny.

                                                ****

          Carly was about to protest about this, but Courtney stopped her.

          "I'll be fine, Carly. Besides, you need every second you can to prepare for opening night; I don't want to waste your time," Courtney said as pleasantly as she could. She didn't want to see Brenda at all.

          "Okay, Courtney, if you say so." Carly picked up her coat. "I have to get home anyways. I'll see you later, Courtney." She sent a sharp look toward Brenda. "Brenda."

          Once Carly had left, Brenda and Courtney stood facing each other in an awkward silence.

                                                ****

          Jason reached the elevator just in time as someone else stepped off. Carly and him ran right into each other.

          "Jesus, Jason. Where are you going so fast?"

          'I'm going to Kelly's," Jason said, trying to push past Carly.

          "Whoa, slow down. Maybe you should just . . . wait to go to Kelly's," Carly suggested.

          "Why?"

          "Well, I know that you and Sonny aren't on the best of terms now, and I figured you should work on him before you try to get Courtney," Carly said.

          "Why don't you want me going to Kelly's?"

          "Because of you and Sonny. . ."

          "Why don't you really want me going?"

          "Courtney's talking to someone else, and you don't want to see her, trust me."

          "Who is it?"

          The door opened, and Sonny gestured for Jason to come inside. Jason stared at him.

          "Jason. Get in here," he ordered. "We have to talk."

          "I can't now," Jason said, shocked at his own words. "I have to go to Kelly's."

          He pushed into the elevator.

          "Jason!"

          He slammed the door close button and pressed the first floor button.

                                                ****

          "What do you need Brenda?"

          "Courtney, there is something that I need to talk to you about," Brenda said, not exactly sure why she was doing this. She could have easily slinked away with the knowledge of how she felt about Courtney to herself, but she couldn't bring herself to do it.

          "Don't worry about it, Brenda," Courtney replied gruffly. "I already know. I have to start my shift."

          She started up the stairs, running into another person entering the club. She didn't bother to see who it was; she just kept charging up the stairs to her shift.

          Jason looked at Courtney leave, and his eyes traveled downstairs to where Brenda stood, smiling innocently.

          "What did you do?" Jason asked, as if he was automatically accusing her of ruining Courtney.

          "I didn't get a chance to do anything. Courtney had to start her shift," Brenda said. Jason didn't seem to believer her. "You think that I told her all the 'yummy' details about our night, don't you?"

          Jason didn't appear to be amused. To him their night was not, in Brenda's words, yummy.

          Brenda rolled her eyes. "Yeah, you're right. I did. We had a fit of giggles comparing you. You know that thing you did for me, well, Courtney and I were wondering if you-"

          "Enough!" Jason stopped her. "I know all that is bull, so why don't you tell me what you really said?"

          Brenda sighed. "I said that I needed to talk to her, and she said she had to start her shift. We didn't get to say anything else."

          Jason shook his head. "You know, I don't get you. Yesterday you were at my doorstep claiming to love me, and now you are talking nicely to me and joking about this entire situation."

          "I didn't joke about the situation," Brenda defended. "I joked about you."

          "That wasn't funny."

          "Jason, don't be so serious. It makes you boring." Brenda picked up her coat and began to leave. "You're just a stiff."

          Brenda grinned. 

"Yeah," Jason said. "And you're just one really loud woman."

          She laughed and left. Jason couldn't help but feel like how it used to be. Before they were stranded on the island, before Rick captured her, and before they ever kissed. 

          He had to admit, Brenda wasn't half bad.

                                                ****

          Courtney dragged herself inside and collapsed on her couch, picking at the loose string on one of her cushions.. She felt her body tugging at her to sleep since she hadn't gotten any last night. She would have fallen asleep if it hadn't been for a knocking on her door. 

          "Come on in. It's open," she called. She smiled at what Jason would be saying if he knew that she wasn't checking who it was before she opened the door.

          "You don't even know who it could be there, It could be someone there to kill you."

          Courtney shook the thought from her head. 

          "You know I like you to check who is at the door before letting them in," a voice said from behind her.

          Courtney looked up, and she saw Jason, soaked from the rain outside, standing at her door.

          "Jason," she breathed, her heart skipping a beat. All thoughts of hating him vanished. She couldn't even remember what she was upset about. 

          He cautiously walked toward her. "Courtney," he said apprehensively. "I'm sorry."

          Courtney wanted so badly to fling herself into his arms. She was sick of fighting, sick of hating him.

          "I know you are."

          "I messed up," Jason said. "But I love you. You know that, don't you?"

          Courtney nodded. "I do."

          Jason took another step toward her. He slowly wrapped his arms around her.

          "I'm sorry," his muffled voice said into her hair. "Just please. . ."

          He didn't even have to finish his sentence. "On one condition," Courtney said.

          "What's that?"

          "That I'm allowed to mess up now without us breaking up because I love you too, Jason." She smiled as the two of them pulled apart.

          Jason took her hand in his and gave it a gentle kiss.

          "Deal."

                                                ****

          Brenda laid her head on Jax's chest, staring deep into the crackling fire. This was where she wanted to be. She loved Jax with her life, or so she thought.

          Though she wouldn't admit it, Jason was there in the back of her head, and there he would remain.

                                                ****

          Jason gently stroked Courtney's sleeping form as he stared into the meek fire that was still burning in the ashes. This was where he wanted to be. He love Courtney with his life, or so he thought.

          Though he wouldn't admit it, Brenda was there in the back of his head, and there she would remain.

                                                ****

          The opposite of love is not hate, as many people think. The opposite of love is indifference. When you don't care, the love of your life could just be under your nose or drifting though the soft drizzle outside your window. So never hesitate when you get the sensation to speak the three words- simple or challenging,

          "I love you."

**       The End of I Love You?**

          _(See Author's note on next chapter)_


	26. Author's Note

Now, I know a lot of you here are Brazen fans, but I couldn't let Brazen happen that fast if at all. It takes a while for something to happen a lot, so I plan to write a sequel. You will have to read it to see who Jason chooses!

Now I want to thank everyone for reviewing anytime they did- the reviews kept me going! I only wanted 20 reviews, but you all got me over a 100!!! Thank you! Now I hope you enjoyed me boredom transferred into writing. This was my first GH fiction, and it feels good to finally get it finished. Thank you, and look out for my sequel!

(If you want me to e-mail you once I post my sequel, e-mail me at KuteKaren66@alltel.net or instant message at NaRaToR7 giving me your e-mail!)

Happy reading,

Karen
    
    _A long, long time ago,_
    
    _I can still remember._
    
    _How that music used to make me smile._
    
    _And I knew if I had my chance,_
    
    _That I could make those people dance._
    
    _And maybe they'd be happy for a while._
    
    _But February made me shiver,_
    
    _With every paper I delivered._
    
    _Bad news on the doorstep,_
    
    _I couldn't take one more step._
    
    _I can't remember if I cried._
    
    _When I read about his widowed bride,_
    
    _But something touched me deep inside,_
    
    _The day the music died._
    
    _So bye, bye Miss American Pie,_
    
    _Drove my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry._
    
    _And good ol' boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye,_
    
    _Singin' this'll be the day that I die,_
    
    _This'll be the day that I die._
    
    _Did you write the book of love?_
    
    _And do you have faith in God above?_
    
    _If the Bible tells you so,_
    
    _And do you believe in rock and roll?_
    
    _Can music save your mortal soul?_
    
    _And can you teach me how to dance real slow?_
    
    _Well I know that you're in love with him,_
    
    _'Cause I saw you dancin' in the gym,_
    
    _You both kicked off your shoes._
    
    _Man, I dig those rhythm and blues._
    
    _I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck._
    
    _With a pink carnation and a pickup truck,_
    
    _But I knew I was out of luck._
    
    _The day the music died._
    
    _I started singin':_
    
    _Bye, bye Miss American Pie,_
    
    _Drove my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry._
    
    _Them good ol' boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye._
    
    _Singin' this'll be the day that I die,_
    
    _This'll be the day that I die._
    
    _Now for ten years we've been on our own,_
    
    _And moss grows fat on a rolling stone._
    
    _But that's not how it used to be._
    
    _When the jester sang for the king and queen,_
    
    _In a coat he borrowed from James Dean._
    
    _In a voice that came from you and me,_
    
    _Oh, and while the king was looking down,_
    
    _The jester stole his thorny crown._
    
    _The courtroom was adjourned._
    
    _No verdict was returned._
    
    _And while Lenin read a book on Marx,_
    
    _The quartet practiced in the park._
    
    _And we sang dirges in the dark._
    
    _The day the music died._
    
    _We were singin':_
    
    _Bye, bye Miss American Pie._
    
    _Drove my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry._
    
    _Them good ol' boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye ,_
    
    _Singin' this'll be the day that I die,_
    
    _This'll be the day that I die._
    
    _Helter skelter in a summer swelter,_
    
    _The birds flew off with a fall out shelter._
    
    _Eight miles high and falling fast,_
    
    _And landed foul on the grass._
    
    _The players tried for a forward pass._
    
    _With the jester on the sidelines in a cast,_
    
    _Now the halftime air was sweet perfume,_
    
    _While sergeants played a marching tune,_
    
    _We all got up to dance,_
    
    _Oh but we never got the chance._
    
    _'Cause the players tried to take the field,_
    
    _The marching band refused to yield,_
    
    _Do you recall what was revealed?_
    
    _The day the music died._
    
    _We started singin':_
    
    _Bye, bye Miss American Pie._
    
    _Drove my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry._
    
    _Them good ol' boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye,_
    
    _Singin' this'll be the day that I die,_
    
    _This'll be the day that I die._
    
    _Oh, in there we were all in one place,_
    
    _A generation lost in space._
    
    _With no time left to start again,_
    
    _So come on Jack be nimble,_
    
    _Jack be quick,_
    
    _Jack flash sat on a candlestick 'cause,_
    
    _Fire is the devil's only friend._
    
    _Oh, and as I watched him on the stage,_
    
    _My hands were clenched in fists of rage,_
    
    _No angel born in hell._
    
    _Could break that Satan's spell,_
    
    _And as the flames climbed high into the night._
    
    _To light the sacrificial right,_
    
    _I saw Satan laughing with delight._
    
    _The day, the music died._
    
    _He was singin':_
    
    _Bye, bye Miss American Pie._
    
    _Drove my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry,_
    
    _Them good ol' boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye_
    
    _Singin' this'll be the day that I die,_
    
    _This'll be the day that I die._
    
    _I met a girl who sang the blues._
    
    _And I asked her for some happy news,_
    
    _But she just smiled and turned away._
    
    _I went down to the sacred store._
    
    _Where I'd heard the music years before,_
    
    _But the man there said the music wouldn't play,_
    
    _And in the streets the children screamed._
    
    _The lovers cried in the poet's dream._
    
    _But not a word was spoken,_
    
    _The church bells all were broken._
    
    _And the three men I admire most,_
    
    _The Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost._
    
    _They caught the last train for the coast._
    
    _The day, the music died._
    
    _And they were singin':_
    
    _Bye, bye Miss American Pie,_
    
    _Drove my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry._
    
    _Them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye,_
    
    _Singin' this'll be the day that I die._
    
    _This'll be the day that I die._
    
    _They were singin':_
    
    _Bye, bye Miss American Pie,_
    
    _Drove my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry._
    
    _Them good ol' boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye,_
    
    _Singin' this'll be the day that I die._


End file.
